


Slave of My Heart

by dkwilliams



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Alternate Universe, Boys in Chains, M/M, Slaves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-26
Updated: 2015-03-26
Packaged: 2018-03-19 17:41:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 114,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3618540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dkwilliams/pseuds/dkwilliams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Finding his family disgraced and himself sold into slavery, Fox learns that only one man stands between him and a horrifying fate - Lord Walter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1 - Training

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written and posted on Boys in Chains archive in 1999.
> 
> There are several warnings below, so if nothing bothers you, you may want to just go on to the story. This story takes place in an Alternate Universe where Ancient Greek philosophies dominate religion, making the practice of homosexuality more acceptable than under the influence of Judeo-Christian religions. In the Ancient Greek culture, it was not uncommon for a man to marry a woman to produce offspring and take younger male lovers outside the marriage bed for both mental and physical stimulation. As far as the political climate is concerned, this story takes place in a Medieval era, roughly equivalent to England in the late 12th century. Also, the characters are 20 years younger than in the series (otherwise at Walter's age on the series he'd be dead or a great-grandfather). 
> 
> This story involves a true Master/slave relationship, and not a consensual BDSM relationship. Think of the "Chains" universe as role-playing "fun" and this as the real thing. 2) Whatever you think of corporeal punishment in our modern times, there was no debate at all back then. A man had the power of life or death over his servants and his family. Slaves had absolutely no rights and could be killed without penalty whereas, theoretically, a serf belonged to the land and therefore was to be preserved to be passed down to a man's heirs. 3) This story contains corporeal punishment for infractions determined by the master and over which the slave has no power of consent. Therefore, you may consider the punishment as well as the sex to be non-consensual. However, I do not write rape stories and both the punishment and the sex takes place within a relationship that is, ultimately, a loving one.

 

Chapter One

Walter

I don't know what made me go to the slave auction that day. I had no need of more household slaves and I had long ago given up the hope of finding a personal slave to meet my exacting needs. Perhaps it was just that I was in town, or that my host was attending, or perhaps it was the Gods taking a hand in my fate. Lately I am inclined toward the latter, although I have never been a particularly religious man. Perhaps, just perhaps, I should stop by the Temple the next time I'm in Town and make an Offering of Thanks - it certainly couldn't hurt and I have much to be thankful for these days.

In any event, when my host announced that he was off to the auction I agreed to accompany him. And so we found ourselves strolling through the stalls, Reginald looking carefully over the merchandise offered while I glanced about seeing nothing new, nothing special, nothing worthy of my attention.

And then I saw Him.

He was standing in the middle of a string of young men all in their late teens but, unlike the other boys, he was looking around him with interest and curiosity. His eyes met mine and I could see that they were that peculiar shade that changes color with mood and lighting, beautiful eyes framed by dark lashes. He returned my gaze steadily, a slight smile playing on his mouth, and I could see the intelligence and humor shining out of those eyes. I let my eyes travel briefly over his face noting the fine bone structure, the full bottom lip, the slight imperfection of the nose that marked one with noble birth, and I saw a slight blush stain his cheeks at my examination. This was no ordinary boy. What in the hell was a boy like that doing here, I wondered, a common slave on the auction block?

"Eyes down, boy!" A sharp crack of the crop across his back and the young man hastily dropped his eyes. I drew closer, mesmerized.

"You!" I called to the merchant. "What is the story on this boy?"

The slave merchant recognized me at a glance and bowed deeply. "Honored lord, this boy is being offered as a slave for seven years to pay for his family's crimes. He has no slave experience although he has been educated." He shrugged dismissively but that intrigued me even more. I stepped closer to the young man, studying him carefully. He was tall, just a few inches shorter than myself. His slender body revealed by his bare chest was trim although it was obvious that he was unaccustomed to hard physical work. The swell within his breeches seemed to indicate an adequate endowment there as well.

"You, boy, what is your name?"

"Fox." As the slave merchant raised his crop, he added, hastily, "sir."

"Your family?"

"My parents are dead, sir." There was a shadow on that face but the eyes remained fixed on the ground.

"How old are you, boy?"

"Eighteen, sir."

Reginald joined me. "Walter, you can't be serious! Do you know how much trouble it will be to take on an indentured boy? And one this old with no experience? You're asking for trouble!"

"You're right, Reggie," I said with a sigh and was turning away when a deep, mocking voice caught my attention.

"Hello, Lord Walter. I didn't expect to see you here."

I took a deep breath and managed to put on a polite smile before I turned around. "Hello, John. I'm surprised to see you here as well. I thought you generally obtained your slaves in other ways."

Sir John Smythe's eyes narrowed but he merely drew in another breath from one of those tobacco sticks that the Court had lately begun to favor. His eyes flicked to the line of slaves behind us, casually studying them. "Well, what have we got here?" He stopped in front of Fox, reaching out to force his chin up. I could see the young man's eyes widen and his body stiffened. "Not so proud are we now, Fox? What do you think, Alex - should I buy you a new toy?" I glanced over at the slave following John, another of the beautiful young men that John always had around him, and saw a cruel light in the green eyes. Fox saw it, too, and swallowed hard.

A liveried servant ran up. "Sir John, the King requests your attendance immediately."

"Coming." John released Fox's chin, tapping his cheek with mock affection. "I'll be back, Fox." He strode off in the wake of the servant followed by the beautiful Alex.

"Come on, Walter," Reggie said and I turned to follow him.

"Sir," came a soft voice behind me. "Please."

I turned back to find those chameleon eyes on me, beseechingly. I hesitated, touched by that appeal.

"Are you crazy, Walter?" Reginald hissed. "You know better than to get between Sir John and his - pleasures. He clearly has his eye on this boy."

"I'm not afraid of John," I said quietly. "We've seen favorites come and go. John is just another."

"He's more powerful than the others and he is ruthless."

"So am I." Reginald flinched at the steel in my voice but he did not disagree. I had been the King's Marshal for ten years and had put down two rebellions during that time. I had no doubt that this upstart John would not be pleased at my interference, but I also knew that my half-brother's devotion to me was stronger than his passing fancy for any favorite.

I turned back to the young man who had once more dropped his eyes to the ground. "So, Fox," I said, my voice deliberately harsh, "you would prefer me over Sir John? You are a fool - you would do far better to court a merchant who would set you up as his bookkeeper. If I took you on, boy, you would be my personal slave. You would bathe me, dress me, care for my wardrobe and my rooms, serve my meals and warm my bed. I would be within my rights to whip you for any reason - or no reason except my own gratification. For seven years I would own you body and soul, and I would get my money's worth out of both. Do you understand me, boy?"

In reply, the young man dropped to his knees and kissed the tip of my boots. He did it with a natural grace that fired my blood - by the Gods, what I could do with such a talent! I turned to the merchant.

"Done. Wrap him up - I will take him with me."

 

Fox

And so I became the property of Lord Walter, King's Marshal, half-brother to the king and easily the most powerful person in the land.

I had seen him before, from a distance, and had heard my father talk about him in admiring tones. When the King's father had died ten years before, the new king had been a boy of only ten years. Lord Walter had been a young man of twenty but already acknowledged the finest fighter in the land, undefeated at the joust or in battle. He had rallied the support of the lords of the land behind his younger half-brother, securing the boy's place on the throne when he could have easily taken the throne himself. Bastardy has never been a deterrent to ambition, and a king's bastard can have more power than most.

My own family had been of the minor nobility and I had spent my years until now in blissful ignorance of the real world. Living in my family's modest townhouse with my younger sister, educated by a string of tutors, then sent to University with the expectation that I would follow my father's footsteps into service at Court, one of the Clerks that kept the legal, financial and judicial systems of the kingdom going. Until a month ago. Until the night when Sir John's flunkies burst into our home, arresting my father on High Treason, taking my family into custody. I had later learned that my mother's weak heart had given out from the shock, that my father had been executed, and that I was to be sold into slavery to pay for my father's "crimes". Of my sister's fate I had no word, although I assumed that she had likewise been sold.

And that is how I found myself standing shackled to a line of other young men on that summer day when Lord Walter walked into my life.

I had never been to a slave auction and certainly never as a participant, and I found myself looking around with interest. The pennants fluttering in the breeze, the colorful garb of the passers-by, the variety of human flesh offered for sale at the booths around me - all of it was new and exciting. After three long weeks in first a prison cell and then a slave pen, the fresh air and the scents on the breeze were enough to lift my spirits. Even the prospect that I was to be sold into slavery could not dim my spirits - in a way it was an adventure, and I had had little adventure in my life to this point. I knew my skills and education were greater than the common slave's and fully expected to be sold into "indentured servitude" to some merchant, to spend the next seven years chained to a desk in some dingy office so I had little personal fear.

And then I saw Him.

He stood out from the crowd, and not just because of his height. Standing there, his hands on his hips, surveying the passing crowd and the merchandise, he radiated power and authority. He was not beautiful but there was something in that stern, strong face that was beyond mere beauty. I stared, mesmerized, unable to tear my eyes away. Lord Walter. The King's Marshal.

As if he felt my eyes on him, he turned his head slightly and his eyes met mine. Brown eyes, deep and dark, and they widened slightly in surprise. I could feel myself smiling back, acknowledging him, even as I felt his eyes curiously examine my face. I drew a breath, feeling a spark of hope inside. What if - what if he were to purchase me? Surely such a powerful man had need of a clerk, a secretary - although, no doubt, such a man had no need to purchase such talents. Such a man had no need to purchase anything, not even a warm body for his bed. The thought arose unbidden, and I felt myself flush at the sudden arousal that filled my body. Although I had tumbled a few willing girls while at University, I had never had such feelings for a man before this.

"Eyes down, boy!" The sudden crack of the slave merchant's whip across my back recalled my attention and I winced, dropping my eyes to stare at the ground. I was embarrassed to have been caught staring, more mortified by that than by my half-nakedness as I stood there.

Amazingly, he came closer, calling to the merchant and asking for information on me. Hope flared again. And then he was standing in front of me, studying me, examining my body carefully. Desperately I willed my arousal away and kept my eyes on the ground.

"You, boy, what is your name?"

"Fox." Aware of movement behind me, I hastily added, "sir."

"Your family?"

"My parents are dead, sir." There was a sudden lump in my throat but I swallowed it down.

"How old are you, boy?"

"Eighteen, sir."

There was movement beside Lord Walter and his companion was arguing with him, then they were moving away. Unbidden, I felt tears coming to my eyes. Then another voice, a hated and familiar voice, rang out through the crowd and I stiffened.

"Hello, Lord Walter. I didn't expect to see you here."

Lord Walter was turning back, replying coolly, and I was amazed to hear the calmness of that voice. He wasn't afraid of Sir John. Everyone was afraid of Sir John - my father had turned white at the mention of his name - but Lord Walter's voice was cool, contemptuous, even. Then I felt eyes on me again, and I closed my eyes, willing myself to become invisible.

"Well, what have we got here?"

Cruel fingers pinched my chin, forcing my head up. I felt my eyes widen in fear and loathing as they met his, saw the amusement in Sir John's eyes as he studied me. "Not so proud are we now, Fox? What do you think, Alex - should I buy you a new toy?" There was movement behind him but I didn't need to look. I was well aware to whom he was referring: the dark-haired man, one of those who had dragged me off to prison. The man who had haunted my dreams and made me wake up in terror at any sound, certain that he had come back to finish the rape that his eyes had promised. I could feel myself shaking, terror chilling my soul. Please, please, not him. Not Sir John.

A liveried servant ran up. "Sir John, the King requests your attendance immediately."

Thank you, Lady! I thought fervently. Reprieved.

"Coming." Sir John released my chin, slapping my cheek gently. "I'll be back, Fox."

Those words sunk into me, filling me with despair. Not a permanent reprieve, then; just a respite before my doom would be sealed. And Lord Walter was turning away, too, leaving me to a horrible fate.

There was one last chance. "Sir," I said and put every ounce of feeling in my voice and silently muttered every prayer that I knew. "Please." And, praise be, he was turning back and those dark eyes were studying me again.

"Are you crazy, Walter?" his friend hissed. "You know better than to get between John and his - pleasures. He clearly has his eye on this boy."

"I'm not afraid of John."

No, Lord Walter wasn't afraid of anyone - how could he be? There couldn't be anyone stronger, more capable, in the world. I longed to be pulled into those strong arms, sheltered under his protection, the only place safe from Sir John.

"So, Fox," he said, his voice deep and harsh, and the sound of my name on his lips made my bones melt and my cock jump to attention. "You would prefer me over Sir John? You are a fool - you would do far better to court a merchant who would set you up as his bookkeeper. If I took you on, boy, you would be my personal slave. You would bathe me, dress me, care for my wardrobe and my rooms, serve my meals and warm my bed. I would be within my rights to whip you for any reason - or no reason except my own gratification. For seven years I would own you body and soul, and I would get my money's worth out of both. Do you understand me, boy?"

Did I understand? Yes, I all too clearly understood that somehow the Gods had smiled on me. No merchant's counting house, no lawyer's chambers, no humdrum existence for seven long, boring years. Safe from Sir John, from his eyes and his hands. I felt an overwhelming rush of desire to serve this man and an equally overwhelming need to prove it. I dropped to my knees before him, lowered my head, and fervently kissed his boots. Command me, master. Whip me, take me, I am yours.

"Done. Wrap him up - I will take him with me."

I looked up at him then, smiling in relief, and met a smiling look in return. All that and a sense of humor, too. And for the first time in that long and unhappy month I felt the warmth of happiness inside.

 

Chapter Two

Walter

Reginald studied my purchase with a mixture of amusement and disgust. "By the Lady, it is a filthy and smelly wretch that you have purchased. And that size - you'll never be able to keep him in clothes, Walter."

"That's the least of my worries, Reggie," I said in amusement. "The smell, however, is a good point. He needs a bath and a shave at the very least." I tugged at the chain secured to his collar. "Come, Fox."

The young man followed me obediently and quietly, although I could tell from the movement of the chain in my hand that he turned his head from side to side as we walked. A proper slave keeps his eyes fixed on his master's feet as he follows him but I was inclined to be indulgent for the moment. Time enough to train my new possession when I got him home. And suddenly I was impatient for my own home, to be away from the town and ride on my own land, Fox at my side. I wondered if he could ride. Unbidden, pictures of another kind of riding sprung to my mind and I pushed those down as well. Time enough for all that later.

We arrived at Reginald's townhouse and servants ran to remove our cloaks. Reginald turned the young pair he had purchased over to his steward and I put Fox into his hands as well. The young man looked at me in sudden apprehension and I touched his cheek reassuringly.

"It's all right, Fox. You're safe here with me." I spoke instinctively and I saw the fear leave his face as he nodded, then he followed the steward. I watched my new possession disappear into the servant's hall, then turned back to Reggie to find that he was grinning at me.

"Walter, for the first time since I've known you, I believe that you have taken leave of your senses. That boy is trouble with a capital T."

"Perhaps. But you know how I like a challenge."

"There's challenges and then there is sheer lunacy." Reginald studied me across the table. "What's wrong, Walter?"

I sighed. "I don't know. I feel - old. And tired. And lonely."

"You need to get married again."

I snorted. "No, thank you, once was quite enough. And besides, you know my preferences lie elsewhere."

"A man needs sons to inherit his lands after he is gone."

"What inheritance? I'm a bastard, Reggie. A king's bastard but a bastard no less. Everything I have I owe to the King."

"Your half-brother adores you and would give you anything you wished. Even a title and inheritable lands."

"Precisely why I don't ask for anything. Jeffrey has enough leeches hanging onto his purse." I took a deep swallow of my wine. "I am content with the lands I hold for him. Speaking of which - "

"You'll be leaving tomorrow." Reggie grinned at my look of surprise. "What, you think I don't know you after all these years, old friend? I'm surprised that you've idled this long. You must be getting soft, old man."

"I'll show you soft," I growled at him good-naturedly.

"Seriously, Walter, it would be best if you got your new possession safely home before Sir John decides to take him away."

I nodded. "My thoughts exactly - " I paused as the steward comes to stand before me.

"Your pardon, my lord, but we are having a slight problem with your new slave."

Reginald grinned over at me. "Told you," he said smugly.

I glared at him and rose to my feet. "I'll be back shortly." I followed the steward toward the servant's quarters and, as we approached, could hear my new possession's voice raised in anger although I couldn't distinguish the words. I paused at the doorway, gesturing for the steward to move out of the way, and took a deep breath before throwing open the door. "What in the name of the seven hells is going on here?"

It had the desired effect on nearly everyone in the room. Before my eyes, bodies flung themselves on their bellies, covering their heads with their arms and even the steward clutched the wall, eyes wide. All but my primary target. Fox stood in the middle of the room, gloriously naked and, although his eyes were wide with surprise, he stood his ground. My mouth twitched a little in amusement, unsure if the man was that brave or just unaware of the storm that was about to break over him. I turned a narrowed glance at the steward.

"Well?"

"Sir, he refuses to be shaved."

I turned my attention back to Fox and let the suppressed anger crackle in my eyes. There - a convulsive swallow. This was going to be fun. I stalked toward Fox and saw the young man automatically back up as slaves scattered out of our path until he ran up against a wall. "Is there a problem here, Fox?" I asked, my voice deadly quiet.

"Sir - " His voice squeaked and he cleared his throat and tried again. "Sir, they want to shave my body."

"Of course."

"All of it?" The indignation in his voice was amusing but I refused to let him see that.

"All of it."

"But, sir - " There was a young man's pride and indignation in that voice, both of which had no place in his new life, and it was time to make that abundantly clear.

"Are you forgetting your place?" I asked, pushing him inexorably down toward the floor until he was kneeling. "My boot, Fox. You did that nicely enough in public." Fox flattened himself and kissed my boots. "Good. Now you will be shaved and there will be no further discussion on the subject. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir." The voice was quiet. "Sorry, sir."

I gestured to the steward. "Please proceed. And when you are finished, bring him to me in the main room. Naked." Fox's head jerked up at that and he opened his mouth to protest but something in my face must have told him that it was useless. He shut his mouth and lowered his head again. Satisfied, I returned to Reginald and picked up my goblet.

Reginald's lips twitched and he signaled for my goblet to be refilled. "Problem solved?"

"For now." I smiled as I drank. "And I was right - he's going to be a challenge. Just what I like."

 

Fox

They shaved me. All the hair - gone. All of it — except for the hair on my head. I had thought that there was nothing more humiliating than being sold like a piece of property, no matter how much I admired my new "master". I was wrong. It was bad enough to have my chest and underarms shaved clean - not that I had much chest hair to begin with - but then they shaved my genitals. I held my breath and sweated when they shaved my testicles and then, greatest humiliation of all, they bent me over and shaved my asshole. If I had been unsure of my standing in Lord Walter's household before now, this alone confirmed it. I was his slave, his boy.

More humiliation lay in store. The soap was rinsed off my body, I was toweled off, and then led into the main part of the house, naked as the day I was born. I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look up from the ground, certain that I was the object of derisive stares, feeling my face hot and flushed.

"Ah, here's Fox."

That voice, that loved and hated voice, and those boots in front of me. I didn't need instructions; I knew what I was supposed to do, what I needed to do. I knelt before him, bent over and kissed his boots.

"That's a good boy." The voice was warm with approval and a gentle hand stroked my hair. I ventured to look upward and found warm brown eyes smiling down at me. "Stand up and let me have a look at you."

I flushed and bowed my head. "Sir - I - I can't."

He bent over and murmured against my ear, "Embarrassed, Fox? Ashamed to be seen naked?"

"Yes, sir."

"You are forgetting something, Fox. Your body doesn't belong to you anymore - it belongs to me. If it pleases me to see your body naked than it should please you. Now, stand up."

I stood up, still flushed but fixing my eyes on him and willing everyone else to disappear from my awareness. Lord Walter examined me carefully, running a hand over my chest and lifting my balls, appearing to be satisfied.

"Beautiful, Fox," he said softly.

"Careful, Walter," said his friend. "You’ll be turning his head and ending up with a vain slave boy."

"I don’t think so," my owner said, studying me with a half-smile. "I doubt that vanity is one of Fox’s sins. Rather the reverse. All right, boy. Return to my chamber and wait for me there."

"Yes, sir," I said quietly and turned to follow the steward.

"Fox."

I turned back, startled at the sharp tone. "Sir?"

"Never turn your back to your master, Fox, without my express orders."

I flushed, embarrassed. "Sorry, sir." I backed away, trying to judge with my peripheral vision so that I wouldn’t trip over a stool or bump into anyone, until I reached the doorway, then hurried after the steward.

 

Chapter Three

Walter

Fox was waiting when I entered the room, nervously pacing back and forth, and he looked up with a combination of relief and dread that I found strangely endearing. I sat down on the bed and held out my foot. He quickly moved to kneel and removed first one boot and then the other.

"They will need to be cleaned before I dress in the morning," I said as he carried them over to the wardrobe. "Bring that bedgown over here and undress me."

"Yes, sir." As he unbuckled my belt and started to take it to the wardrobe I said, "Leave it on the bed. I'll be needing it." I felt his eyes jerk up to my face but ignored him until he had completed undressing me and helped me into the bedrobe.

"Every night you will undress me and bathe me before bed. We'll forgo the bath tonight, but in future you will prepare for it. After my bath we will handle your punishment for the day."

"Punishment, sir?" The voice was weak.

"Punishment, Fox. For every time you fail to perform a task and have to be reminded or perform a task badly you will receive one stroke. For every time you question my orders you will receive two strokes. Direct disobedience will merit three strokes per incidence. I will expect you to keep track of your punishment strokes and tell me what you have coming. I shall also be keeping track and, should you fail to give me the correct number, your stroke count will be added to mine. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir." The voice was so wispy that I thought he might faint on me.

"Now, you have belonged to me for less than half a day and you already have punishment coming to you. What do you deserve to be punished for, Fox?"

He cleared his throat, trying to pull his wits together. "Um - the shaving thing. Refusing to be shaved and then arguing with you about it. And then - in the dining room - when I didn’t want to stand at first. Seven strokes, sir?"

I was inclined to forgive his reluctance to be on public display, but I was impressed by his scrupulousness in owning his faults. It had been such a long time since I had dealt with a truly honest person that I had almost forgotten what it was like. "Very well. Seven strokes. Bend over the bed." He quietly obeyed me and I took a moment to study the smooth, unmarked skin in front of me. Such a beautiful young man, such a firm ass, and I wondered if he was a virgin. I intended to find that out for myself before too long but first things first - he was awaiting punishment and it was cruel to make him wait any longer. I picked up my belt, wrapped it twice around my fist until it was the length I wanted, and then lifted it. Seven strokes, and I counted them aloud as I slowly measured them out. His body jerked as each stroke of the belt met his ass and he clenched the bedcover tightly in his fists but he was silent. I wondered who taught him to be so quiet when being whipped but that, too, was a matter for another time. The last stroke, and his forehead slumped down against the mattress as a silent shudder wracked his body. I gently rubbed his back, feeling him tense under my hand.

"All over, Fox," I said gently.

"Yes, sir," he said weakly and attempted to get up but my hand still held him down. I could feel him tense again and sensed that he was wondering what I had in store for him next. I settled on the bed next to him, turning him over onto his back. Those chameleon eyes, vulnerable and fearful, met mine. I smiled.

"Relax." I caressed his face gently, lifted his head and slid over so that his head rested on my lap. My hand moved down his chest, caressing his smooth skin. "You are very beautiful, my fox cub. Such soft, sweet skin." I could feel the trembling of his body under my hand and I leaned over to brush my lips against his. "What, Fox?" I asked very gently.

"I — I don’t know what you want of me now, sir."

"I want you to relax while I acquaint myself with my new possession." I continued to caress his skin, toying with his nipples, watching the shifting light in his eyes. "After your punishment, if I feel so inclined, we will have sex. There may be other times that I will wish to use your body as well, but you should always expect it at night. If you please me, then you shall be permitted to sleep in the bed with me. If you displease me, you will sleep on the floor. If you continuously displease me, I shall send you to the barracks to entertain my soldiers and buy another bedwarmer. Am I understood?"

"Sir," Fox was flushing scarlet now. "I - I've never - I don't know how - "

"Are you a virgin, Fox?"

He was embarrassed and I found it endearing. "I've been with a few girls but no men."

"And in prison and the slave pens? None of the guards touched you?" He shook his head and I thought I understood - John had undoubtedly given strict orders that this delectable young man was to be reserved for him. I was amused at the thought that all John’s care had been for my benefit and I leaned over to kiss him gently again. "Good. Then you have no bad habits to break. I shall teach you how to please me, Fox, and I shall never fault you for lack of knowledge or skill - only for insufficient enthusiasm."

I let my hand move down to his cock, gently stroking it, and felt his response with satisfaction. Although I wanted that beautiful body beneath mine, hungered to feel myself buried deep within his sweet, tight ass, I was no green boy unable to control my appetite. I wanted him for more than one night and I wanted him hot and eager for my touch, a willing slut for my body. I was more than willing to move slowly in order to achieve my prize. Tonight I would give him pleasure.

I took his cock in my hand and stroked slowly up and down. He sighed a little and those dark lashes fluttered shut. The tip of his tongue came out to moisten his lips and I smiled. What a little hedonist he was! So sensitive and sensual, ready to surrender himself to pleasure. With a little skillful handling, he would be the most desirable bed partner I had known in longer than I cared to remember. Fluid was already flowing from the slit and I thought that it had been a long time since he had taken any pleasure. I tightened my grip and increased my stroking; he moaned and wriggled slightly in my lap, and I bent my head to softly kiss him. His lips clung to mine, and they tasted so sweet that I let myself drink of them. I could feel the tension in his body increase and I leaned over to murmur in his ear, "Come, my beautiful fox cub. I want you to come." He gasped, and then he was coming hard under my hand and crying out with the pleasure of it. I smiled again; yes, I had chosen well when I had bought this young man.

He lay there panting for a long moment, his face flushed and his lips swollen from kissing. His eyes slowly opened and I could see that they were very green and full of wonder. "Why did you do that?"

"Because I can." I smiled. "There are two things and only two things that you have to remember, Fox. I am the source of all your pain and I am the source of all your pleasure. It is your behavior that will determine which you receive from me. Do you understand me, Fox?"

"Yes, sir — and thank you."

The simple and sincere gratitude in his voice and eyes was almost enough to unman me and I said, gruffly, "Enough of that, boy. Get to bed. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Speaking of which - do you know how to ride?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good." I stood up and pulled back the covers as he slipped out of the bed and started to curl up on the floor. "Up here, boy." He looked surprised and I smiled as I ruffled his hair. "You did very well for your first day. You may sleep in the bed tonight."

"Thank you, sir." He slipped under the covers and slid to the far side of the bed.

I removed my robe and slid between the sheets, wincing a little at the cold. Tomorrow I must remind Fox to warm the sheets. Tomorrow we would be home, I thought with a smile. I closed my eyes and fell into an easy sleep, dreaming of home and my own bed and a warm fox cub making it a cozy nest.

 

Fox

Will I ever understand the man?

He lies on the other side of the bed, sound asleep, and I can see the strong planes of his face in the flickering firelight. And I lie here, exhausted in body but not mind, watching him sleep. My ass is sore and bears the marks from his belt. My cock is flaccid and satisfied from his skillful handling. Pain and pleasure, pleasure and pain. Which is the true measure of the man? Or are they both sides of his true self? I was prepared for the harshness but not for the softness, and it is that which will undo me. Does he know it? I feel as if, somehow, he does. And I find it impossible to believe that twenty-four hours ago this man knew nothing of me and I knew little of him and now I am in his bed and, moreover, happy to be there. Of course, I tell myself reasonably, I had no choice in the matter and it is far, far better to be here than in Sir John's clutches. I shudder.

"Fox, if you don't close your eyes and go to sleep, I shall beat you again and send you to sleep on the floor."

How did he do that? I look at him carefully but his eyes remain closed. I decide not to test the man - for now, at any rate - and close my eyes. A strong arm comes across the bed and I find myself tucked up against a hard warm body. I smile, breathe a sigh of contentment, and let myself drift into sleep.

 

Chapter Four

Walter

I awakened to the unfamiliar but not unwelcome feeling of warmth from a long, lean body pressed against my side and I was aware that a smile had crossed my face. Fox. The young man was wrapped around me as if taking refuge in my greater warmth, and the combination of the innocence and trustfulness of his action threatened to unman me again. The steady heat from his seal-soft skin raised another kind of heat within me; if it weren’t for my resolution, I would roll him over and take him right now. I sighed and exerted my willpower to conquer my baser inclinations, reminding myself that the pleasure will be all the greater for waiting. However, if I am to keep my resolution, I must get us both out of this bed.

I sat up and slid out of Fox’s arms, then bent over to shake him. "Fox, wake up."

He blinked and, for a moment, looked confused by his surroundings. Another blink, and then he was smiling at me so softly and sweetly that I could barely restrain myself from flinging myself on him and fucking him senseless. I sighed and turned away, getting out of bed.

"We’ve got a long way to travel today."

Fox slid out of bed and brought me the chamber pot, then a basin of water and a towel and I found that both helped to wake me up and lessen my ardor. He fetched my riding clothes and assisted me into them, then settled down to clean my boots while I broke my fast. I watched the faint morning light play on his bent head and saw him shiver a little in the cool morning air. Clothes, I thought; I must do something about clothes for him. For a moment I regretted my decision to leave immediately, but I could always have my sewing women outfit him and I found myself feeling even more territorial today. I will have him in my home and in my bed, and the sooner the better. In the meantime… I went to my trunk and hunted for a few minutes, producing an old tunic and breeches that would fit him without being overly loose. Footwear would be more difficult — his feet are longer and narrower than mine — and in the end decided that a pair of soft-shoes would have to do for now. At least they wouldn’t rub his feet raw, and it wasn’t as if he’d be walking today.

I set the clothes down beside him and he looked up, puzzled. I grinned. "For you, Fox. Although I admire your current condition, you will be much more comfortable traveling suitably dressed."

He grinned back at me and I could see a hint of mischief in that grin. "What a relief, sir."

I cuffed him gently. "Insolent cub. Are my boots ready?" He nodded and pulled them on for me. "I’m going to see to the horses and the wagon. Dress yourself and then pack. We leave within the hour."

 

Fox

As soon as my master left, I scrambled into the clothes he left me. It had been a long time since I had anything clean to wear and I reveled in the feel of clean fabric against my skin. I fancied that a bit of his scent clung to the clothes and rubbed my face briefly against the sleeve, feeling a little foolish as I did so. Then I set about packing up his belongings, not an onerous task for the man appeared to be incredibly neat by nature. There were a few garments to be packed back into the trunk, some bagged for the laundress, and some personal possessions to be packed into saddlebags.

On the table by the bed was a slender bound book of verses and I picked it up with reverent hands. I had seen and touched these before at University and, suddenly, the wave of longing for my old life was so intense that I wanted to cry and scream and bang my head against the wall until the blood clouded my eyes and my memory.

He came into the room and I dropped the book on the bed, turning hastily toward the window and the bags there. "Ready, Fox?"

"Yes, sir." I picked up the bags and slipped out the door, my face averted from his sharp gaze, and followed the men carrying the trunk.

 

Walter

He had been crying. I could see the red eyes in that face averted from mine and, for a moment, I was filled with an unreasonable anger. Insolent cub, how dare he weep and mope about when I have risked my future to secure him? He slipped from the room and I let him go, wordlessly, trying to control the shaking. Fool that I am, letting a pretty face and pretty manners blind me.

And then I saw the book on the bed and the shining drop on its cover. I picked it up and smoothed the moisture away, touched my finger to my lips. Salty. So it was this that he was weeping over — a book. I frowned as I looked at the cover, wondering what would have set him off. Then, in a moment of sudden clarity, I saw Fox as he must have been before Sir John wrecked his life: an eager lad, chattering with his tutors, soaking up knowledge the way a plant soaks up nourishment from the earth. And now, a slave, dependent on a master for food, shelter, even the clothes he wore. I was suddenly ashamed of my anger. I, risking my future? What right have I to be angered when he has no future but what I allow him?

I slowly went down to the courtyard where my trunk and the supplies I purchased were being loaded into the wagons. Fox handed some bags up with one hand, my saddlebag in his other, and I crossed to join him. Wordlessly, I took the bag and unfastened a panel to put the book inside, and I could feel his eyes on me. I gripped his shoulder and said, gruffly, "It will come out all right in the end, boy."

I could see him swallow hard, heard him murmur, "Thank you, sir," and then I squeezed his shoulder again and moved on to talk to the Amazon who was captain of my soldiers. The Captain inclined her head to me as I approached, turning away from her troops to give me her full attention.

"We are ready, Lord Walter."

"Good. You have a horse for the boy to ride?"

"Yes, my lord."

I could see that she was curious — slaves ride with the baggage cart, not mounted on horseback — and I wanted to emphasize Fox’s place in my household. "Captain, you should consider Fox to be my most important possession. His life and well-being should be second only to mine in your thoughts."

"Yes, my lord."

"He is noble-born, not a peasant’s brat. And it is possible — unlikely, but possible — that the man responsible for his family’s downfall will try to snatch him from me. That is one reason why we are leaving town so soon, before our original plans. Do you understand me, Captain?"

"Yes, my lord. I shall see that he is well-protected."

I nodded in satisfaction and mounted my horse. Behind me I could hear the troops mounting up, then the Captain was leading our party out of the town. Toward home.

 

Fox

Footsteps approached me as I finished securing Lord Walter’s possessions, and I glanced over my shoulder warily, then my eyes widened in surprise. Facing me was a tall young woman in soldier's armor, near my own height but of muscular build. A fringe of red hair showed under her helmet and her blue eyes studied me in an appraising manner. An Amazon, I thought in amazement.

"Fox? I’m Captain Dana Scully. I have your horse ready, and his lordship is eager to depart."

I looked over and saw Lord Walter swing up easily onto the back of a large black destrier, easily controlling its nervous movements as it pranced and swung about in place. On horseback, he looked twice as big as life and I was awed and not a little frightened at the thought of belonging to such a powerful being. Then I clenched my jaw and drew myself up to my full height - I might not be as strong as Lord Walter but I was no puny weakling.

I turned towards Captain Scully and said, firmly, "I'm ready."

I could see the amusement on her face, as if she had read my thoughts, but she said nothing. She gave me a leg-up and settled my stirrups, and I could see her appraising my riding ability. I had few qualms for I have ridden since I was little although it had been over a month since I was in the saddle. I thought ruefully that I would be stiff and sore at the end of this day’s ride, and the thought reminded me that Lord Walter may wish to do another kind of riding when we reached his home. I could feel my face flushing at the thought, but the Captain just nodded and went to mount her own horse. I found myself at the center of a ring of horseman as we rode through the town and wondered if this guard was for my protection or to keep me from running away. Unnecessary, I thought — I have no where else to go.

Reality hit me then and tears blinded me as I followed my escort out of the main gate. In a few short hours I would be far away from the town where I was born, and I did not know if I would ever return.

 

Chapter 5

Walter

We rode out of the city without incident and took the main road north. Once free of my first worry, that Sir John would engage my troops within the city where there was little fighting room, I let myself relax. I was being overly paranoid, I told myself. Fox was only a slave and surely even Sir John would not risk alienating himself from my brother's affections by a direct attack on me. More likely, Sir John would vent his anger on his unfortunate servants when he learned that Fox had slipped out of his hands and would seek an alternate way to bring the young man into his possession. An offer to purchase the slave from me, perhaps. Yes, that seemed the most likely course that the other man would take.

A burst of laughter from the back of the troop brought me out of my thoughts and I realized that many miles had passed while I was locked inside myself. I glanced back towards the sound and saw Fox at the center of a knot of riders. I signaled for Captain Scully and, in a few minutes, the young Captain joined me.

"Your men sound in good spirits, Captain."

Captain Scully grinned. "It's the lad, sir. He's been telling us stories of his school days and singing." She chuckled. "The lad has a wider knowledge of bawdy songs than one would expect from one of his years."

"He's eighteen," I murmured. "Hardly an infant." At eighteen I had been married for a year and put in command of my first regiment.

"From his stories, it appears that the lad has a genius for getting into trouble. I don't envy you, sir. He's going to be a handful."

Another burst of laughter, and I found my teeth clenching in an effort to rein in the flare of jealousy. "Send him up here to ride with me. I could use the distraction myself."

Captain Scully saluted and wheeled her horse around. A few minutes later, Fox's horse pulled alongside mine and he smiled at me.

"You wanted me, Master?"

I found my ire disappearing under the influence of that smile. "I grow tired of my own thoughts. Captain Scully tells me that you've been amusing her men."

Fox looked at me warily and I supposed that I hadn't been able to completely suppress my jealousy. "They were just trying to be friendly, sir."

"As long as they are not too friendly, Fox." I smiled at him and reached out to ruffle his hair. "Entertain me, brat."

"Of course, sir. What would you prefer - a story or a song?"

"Start with a story - one of your University adventures. I have a feeling that I need to be prepared." As he looked over at me with wide, innocent eyes, I fought down the urge to grin. "And don't give me any of your innocent looks. I know trouble when I see it and you, my fox cub, are pure trouble."

Fox grinned over at me. "Speaking of cubs, sir, there was this teacher I had once. He was a prime example of how money and influence can triumph over the educational system - couldn't pour piss out of his boots with instructions on the heel. He insisted on arguing with me over documented evidence of existence beyond this Plane of Existence - " At Walter's puzzled look, he added, helpfully, "Ghosts, sir. He insisted that such things are nonsense, imaginings of disordered minds and the foolish dreaming of peasants. When I expressed a difference of opinion, he ridiculed me in front of the entire class."

I observed the tightly pressed lips and could well imagine the humiliation he had felt. "What did you do?"

Fox hesitated, then gave me that endearing grin again. "Well, there was a traveling circus in town at the time. One of the Fellows slipped me and a - um - friend into the Dorm where the junior teachers slept. The man made the whole College come running when he woke to find a tame bear cub licking honey off his toes. I believe that his nightclothes and bed also required changing after that."

I burst out laughing, well imagining that scene. "By the Gods, Fox! You are a scamp! What happened after that?"

"He complained to the Dean, wanted me caned within an inch of my life. But the Dean was a splendid fellow - and I suspect he disliked the man as well. Oh, he reamed me a new one and sent me down for the remainder of the Term, but when I came back the next Term I found that the idiot teacher had been dismissed." A look of intense satisfaction crossed that expressive face and I filed another piece of information about my new possession.

"And your parents? What did they do?"

He shrugged. "My father would have beaten me, I suppose, but my mother kept me out of his way until the new term started. And he was always busy at Court." A sad, wistful look crossed his face and I recalled his brief statement that his parents were dead.

"Well, you won't find any women's skirts to hide behind in my home," I commented dryly, and was pleased to see a flash of indignation cross his face.

"I don’t hide behind women's skirts, sir! I'll take any punishment that I have coming to me!" He colored suddenly, as if worried that his outburst would anger me, but I merely nodded and he added, quietly, "My parents were having - problems. And my mother was in ill health since the birth of my sister. It upset her when my father and I had - disagreements."

"What happened to the rest of your family, Fox?" I asked gently.

He stared off into the distance, his jaw muscles tight. "They broke into our house late one night with a decree from the King naming my father as a traitor. Sir John's men. We were all taken away. I learned later that my mother collapsed and died that night. My father was executed a few days later. You know what happened to me." He swallowed hard. "I never heard what happened to Samantha. I suppose that she was sold as well." He gave me a hesitant, sideways look. "Sir - do you think - "

I nodded. "Write out a description of your sister - her age, appearance, the date she was taken - when we get home and I'll see what I can find out."

A sudden smile crossed his face, and it was like the sun coming out from behind a cloud. "Thank you, sir!"

I returned the smile, relieved to see the sadness lift from his face. "My pleasure, Fox. And now - how about a song to lighten our spirits?"

"Of course, sir!" Fox began singing an amusing ballad about a young minstrel's improbable and erotic travels in a light, clear tenor. I smiled and listened with one ear, laughing at the appropriate places. But, inside, my heart was chilled by the thought of what Sir John was capable of doing, and my mind was filled with worry about the fate of not only young Fox, but of my brother and the Kingdom I was sworn to protect.

 

Fox

I passed that morning in a more lighthearted spirit than I could recall since the day that my life had changed. Lord Walter had said that he would help find Samantha, and I knew that there was little that he wouldn't be able to accomplish. He kept me at his side for most of the morning, and I found that I enjoyed making him smile and laugh. The man looked like he had experienced little of either lately, and I was determined to learn more about my new master. I told myself that it was only prudent, that a slave should know everything he could about his master, and had best be able to interpret his moods if he was to keep his skin intact. In truth, though, I was already starting to fall in love with him.

We halted at mid-day to rest the horses and eat, and I was grateful for the break from riding. I could already feel my muscles protesting at their ill treatment after many long days of forced inactivity and I attempted to work out some of the kinks before collapsing on the ground under a tree.

There was movement in the grass and a body settled beside me. I looked up to see Captain Scully offering me food from her saddlebag and accepted with thanks, casting my glance around without finding my quarry.

"He's walked up to the top of the rise," Captain Scully said, gesturing, and I looked in the direction that she pointed. "I think Lord Walter is eager to be at home."

I could feel speculative eyes on my face and focused on ripping a piece off the load of bread she offered me, then looked over to see that one of the guards was removing the saddle from Lord Walter's horse and placing it on another of the fine destriers among the spare horses.

"Is something wrong with Lord Walter's horse?" I asked.

"No; his lordship always changes horses when we stop during long journeys. It would not be wise to be caught on a tired horse if we were set upon by enemies."

"Do you expect trouble?" I asked, a little anxious, noticing that the Captain had also posted two guards while the others rested and ate.

"I always expect trouble," Captain Scully said coolly, "And I am rarely disappointed."

"I've never met an Amazon before," I said, studying the tall redhead as she removed her helmet and settled more comfortably on the ground. "I didn't know that there were any in this land."

She shrugged. "There aren't many. I was brought here as a child after the late King's fleet destroyed the slaver's ship that I was on. They would have sent me home but my parents were dead and I didn't know where my home was, so the King gave me into Lord Walter's care. I became a page in his household; the steward and his wife became my second parents and Lord Walter saw that I was trained in arms. When I was old enough, I joined his guard and eventually became captain."

"Your sense of devotion is remarkable."

"I would give my life for Lord Walter." Her deep voice was matter-of-fact but there was an underlying tone of pure steel. Anyone would think twice about crossing swords with her.

"What is it like - his home, I mean?"

Captain Scully shrugged. "The fortifications are well-designed and it's situated above a cliff on one side, so it's easy to defend."

"Spoken like a soldier," I teased. "What about the castle itself? Large? Small? Cold and drafty? And the estate - large or small?"

The Captain appeared to consider this and said, slowly, "The fortifications are medium-sized, and the lord's house itself is medium-sized, I suppose. More comfortable than some I've seen, and there's one of those Roman contraptions to run water from an underground hot spring to a bathing chamber. I hear that the late king had it specially built for Lord Walter's mother - she was in fragile health most of her life and died young."

"Lord Walter was born here?"

The Captain nodded. "Lived here all his life, from what I understand. Of course, the estate belongs to the King but Lord Walter manages it for him. I don't think he's really happy anywhere else."

I eyed the figure standing on the hilltop looking off into the distance and asked, casually, "Did Lord Walter's wife like it here?"

Captain Scully eyed me again. "You ask a lot of questions for a slave."

I shrugged. "It's best to learn everything I can so that I don't do or say anything to offend the master. Does he ever talk about her?"

The Captain studied the apple in her hand and said, slowly, "No, he never talks about her. It was a match arranged between the late King and Lady Sharon's father, and it was a mistake from the start. Lady Sharon hated it here - she refused to come back here after her first visit. She preferred the excitement of Town and the intrigue of the Court. They spent much of their marriage apart, Lady Sharon in Town and Lord Walter here, although he went to her as soon as word came of the accident."

"Accident?"

"She was thrown from her horse and struck her head. She appeared to be all right, even laughed about it, but later on she got sleepy and they couldn't wake her. Then she was gone."

I nodded - I had read of such things while at the University. "How did Lord Walter take it?"

The Captain sighed. "I think he felt guilty about it although there was nothing he could have done. And I think he was relieved as well. His heart was never in it although I think he tried for his father's sake. But his preferences were always elsewhere."

I felt the sideways glance and flushed slightly. "Surely the King didn't disapprove? The Priests tell us that everyone is capable of desiring both sexes and that there is nothing shameful in the expression of that desire. It is well-known that the late King had several male lovers, and his grandfather had a male consort after his Queen died."

"Ah, but they took wives to give them heirs. The late King thought that Lord Walter should marry to produce heirs and seek his preferred pleasures outside the marriage bed, in the traditional manner."

"And did he?"

"I don't think that it would be appropriate for me to say anything further on this matter." She started to rise and I put out my hand quickly to stop her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you or embarrass you, and I'm not trying to pry. It's just - this whole situation is new to me. I feel like I'm walking in the dark without a torch." I removed my hand but said, softly, "Please stay."

The Captain stared at me silently for a long moment. "You are trying to pry, but I suppose that it is understandable. I was a slave once myself, and if the Gods hadn't intervened, I might have been in a similar situation." Blue eyes studied me again, and a faint smile quirked her lips. "Perhaps it is just as well that I am not attracted to men, for I can see that it would be easy to fall for you, Milord Fox, and I imagine Lord Walter would have my head for that."

"Then perhaps we can be friends. It has been a long time since I've had a true friend."

If the Captain saw anything peculiar in the suggestion of friendship between the Captain of the Guards and a slave-boy, she didn't say so. Instead, that faint smile quirked her lips again. "I would like that, Fox." Then she rose and began the process of stirring her troops from their rest.

I spent most of the afternoon deep in thought as we rode. Lord Walter rose at the head of the troop accompanied by the Captain and, by their expressions and gestures, they were discussing the relative merits of the various routes to our destination. I rode in the middle of the troop this time, and the Captain must have warned her men about being too friendly towards me because their attitude was cautiously polite. Ah, well, I thought; it wasn't the first time. In the meantime, I let my thoughts wander and wasn't too concerned that they tended to focus on the enigma that was my master.

We stopped for another break in the late afternoon, and I felt my legs trembling as I stood on solid ground again. A little stretching was all I could manage before I sank to the ground with a groan, lying flat on my back. I refused offers of food although I gratefully accepted a skin of watered wine and drank thirstily. I wondered how much longer we would have to travel and groaned at the thought of climbing back into the saddle.

Propping myself up on my elbows, I studied the men scattered around in various states of repose. I noted that two men walked or stood on the fringes of the resting group again, alert for any sign of danger, and grinned as I thought that the Captain was not taking any chances. Another man was saddling a fresh mount from the string of war-horses. I glanced around for the Captain and saw that she was talking to Lord Walter again and, more to the point, they were both looking at me. I dropped my head back on the ground and swore under my breath. I knew that they had seen my shaky dismount and were debating what was to be done with me. Images of being sent back to ride with the baggage cart, or left here with guards till the cart caught up, rose to mind.

There was movement around me and I realized that the troop was mounting again. I pushed myself to my feet, biting my tongue to keep a groan from escaping, and moved toward my horse.

"Fox, you'll be riding with me," Walter said, striding over to where I stood trying to summon the energy to put my foot in the stirrup. Captain Scully led over the freshly saddled mount, a blank expression on her face.

I looked at Lord Walter suspiciously. "I'm fine. I can ride by myself."

"Perhaps so, but I wish to talk with you privately, and it will best be served by having you sit before me."

"Besides which," Captain Scully added, "I believe that your mount has picked up a stone and we have no spares safe for you to ride."

I frowned at both of them, recognizing that I was being managed but I could hardly call either of them a liar - not unless I wanted to risk an encounter with that belt again. I sighed. "Very well."

Lord Walter mounted. I put my foot on his and he held down his hand to pull me up easily to sit astride before him, then wrapped an arm around my waist to secure me close against him while the other hand took up the reins. I could feel myself flushing at the intimate closeness of our positions; I had never been this close to another man before, even last night, and I could feel his heat all the way down my back. A different kind of heat flashed through my groin and I bit back a groan, hoping that he wouldn't discover what his nearness was doing to me. A soft chuckle in my ear told me that my hopes were in vain.

"Very flattering, cub. If we were alone, I might do something about that but you'll have to wait till we get home."

The troop started off again and I welcomed the cooling breeze that fanned my flushed face. "How long before we reach your home?"

"We've got several more hours of travel still. Relax - rest. You've had a busy couple of days."

His voice was low and soothing against my ear and I fought the urge to close my eyes. "I'm not tired," I said steadily. "Tell me about your home."

He was silent, and I turned my head to look at his face, worried that I might have offended him. I was surprised to find a soft smile on his face, his eyes focused elsewhere. "There's a place on the hills above the castle. It's a steep climb, but when you get there you can look out over the land below: the forest, the river, the fields. From there, the castle looks like a child's toy, as if you could reach out and pick it up and put it in your pocket." He paused and looked down at my face and smiled. "I'll take you to that place someday and you'll understand."

"I'd like that," I said softly.

"Good," he said, his face and voice returning to normal. "Now close your eyes and rest."

I turned my head back to look forward, hiding the smile on my face. "Yes, Master." And, between the wine and my own fatigue, I slept.

 

Chapter 6

Walter

Dark was falling by the time our weary horses crossed the drawbridge and passed under the portcullis. Stableboys ran forward to our horses' heads and around me I heard my weary troops dismount. Captain Scully was at my stirrup, calling forward two soldiers to relieve me of my sleeping burden. Fox hardly stirred when he was transferred and I gestured for them to take him toward the manor house. I dismounted and rubbed my stiff arm; the lad may be slender but he had been a dead weight against my shoulder for the past two hours.

"Good work, Captain," I said, clapping her on the shoulder. "Extra rations for your troop tonight and I think a ration of spirits."

She smiled at me widely. "The men will appreciate that, my lord. Thank you."

I nodded and moved on toward the manor in the wake of my sleeping companion. William, my steward, hurried down the steps with a smile on his face and torchbearers in his wake.

"My lord, it is good to see you! You've been gone a long time."

"Too long," I agreed, looking around me in satisfaction. "It is good to be home."

William looked curiously at the burden the soldiers carried. "Did you find him on the road? Was the lad injured?"

"No, he is merely exhausted. His name is Fox and he belongs to me. I bought him at the slave market."

William's eyes widened in surprise but he said nothing, turning toward one of the pages. "Take him to my lord's chamber."

"See that he is settled for the night - I doubt that he will wake. He is unaccustomed to travel." William nodded. "Any matters of import to be handled?"

"Nothing that can't wait till morning, my lord. Not that I expect you'll pay me any heed on that matter. Should I have supper brought to your office?"

I smiled. "You know me too well, William. Yes, that would be good." William sent another page off in search of his wife as we entered the manor, then headed off towards my chamber as I turned toward my office. I pulled off my riding gloves and settled behind my desk with a contented sigh. It was good to be home.

I was sorting through the scrolls and documents on my desk when my housekeeper entered, beaming from ear to ear and bearing a tray. "Lord Walter, it's so good to have you home again. Though the Gods know that you shouldn't be messing about with business when you've just got home - not that you'll listen to me."

"Don't fuss, Maggie," I said with a frown as I waved for her to set the tray on a side-table instead of on my papers. "You'll have a new target for your mothering skills. I've brought home another stray."

"Another child, my lord?"

"Hardly. Fox is eighteen, though he does tend to appear a bit younger." I picked up the mug from the tray and drained half of it.

"And not an ounce of fat on him, by what I can see," William added, entering the office.

"Maggie'll soon fix that. Is he settled?"

"Sleeping like a babe. I took the liberty of removing his shirt and shoes so he could rest more comfortably." I nodded in thanks, occupied as I was in swallowing a hunk of bread and cheese. "Lord Walter bought him in the slave market," he informed his spouse in a carefully bland voice.

Maggie frowned at me. "And just why would you be buying a slave boy in a common market, my lord?"

My mouth was still occupied so I merely raised an eyebrow at her while her husband helpfully informed her, "The boy is in Lord Walter's bed."

"A common slave boy?"

"There is nothing 'common' about Fox," I informed her dryly. "His father was a Clerk at Court before he was accused of treason and the family imprisoned. Fox is well-born and something special. And you are not to be making a pet of him, Maggie," I said sternly. "The boy is having a hard enough time adjusting to his new life without you spoiling him."

"A high-spirited lad?"

I snorted. "To say the least." I pushed away the tray and rose to my feet. "Well, I expect that these will keep. I'm going to bed. William, we'll handle these matters in the morning. Notify my bailiff that I'll want to ride the estate the day after tomorrow."

"Very good, my lord."

I started down the corridor towards my chamber but not before I heard the exchange behind me.

Softly - "He left the papers till morning. He's never done that before."

Questioning - "Do you think this is the one?"

"Who knows? Perhaps."

And I smiled to myself as I walked. Yes. Perhaps. This just might be the one.

 

Fox

I woke mid-morning to an empty bed, although the indentation next to me proved that I had had a companion during my slumbers. I sat up and looked around the unfamiliar room and wondered where I was and how I had gotten there. The answers seemed simple enough - I must be in Lord Walter's home and this was more than likely his bed.

My body was urgently reminding me that there were matters that needed to be taken care of and I located the necessary facilities, then stripped off my breeches and quickly washed in cold water. Chilled but awake, I dressed again - the same clothes as yesterday and somewhat the worse for wear, but I had no others. Then I looked around the room, trying to determine what I should do next. My stomach was growling and I was aware that I had missed at least two meals if not more, but I could hardly go roaming around the castle without my master's permission. I straightened the bed and picked up the discarded clothing, setting them aside for the laundress, then unpacked the saddlebags lying across one of the chairs. The book of poetry was there and, after a moment of hesitation, I curled up in a chair and opened it.

I was deeply absorbed in reading when a knock came on the door. Guiltily, I dropped the book onto the chair and called out, "Come!" then realized that it was hardly appropriate for a slave to be giving orders and I started towards the door.

A stocky, pleasant-faced, older man stood in the doorway and he smiled at me. "Good morning, Fox. I'm William, Lord Walter's steward. He asked me to bring you to his office, if you were awake. Follow me."

I followed in his wake, casting curious eyes around me as I tried to get my bearings. Evidently Lord Walter's chambers ran along the entire East Side of the house. As we turned left around a corner, I could see the Great Hall through an archway to my left and the entry hall to my right. William continued forward and stopped at a doorway along the west corridor, tapping on the door before opening it and entering.

Lord Walter looked up as we entered. "Ah, good! Fox, take a seat over there - I have need of your copying skills." I obediently sat down at the small clerk's desk in the corner, checking the shelf for supplies. He brought over a scrap of parchment with a hasty scrawl on it. "This is a summons for my castellans. I need five copies in a fair hand. Do the first and let me see it before you start on the rest."

I nodded and dutifully set to work, ruefully reflecting that I had become a clerk after all. The first copy was approved and I set to work on the rest. As I worked, I became aware that my empty stomach was once more protesting its ill treatment. I wrapped an arm around my stomach in an effort to muffle the sound and concentrated on my work.

Lord Walter was discussing a legal ruling regarding sheep that had strayed onto another crofter's lands with William and he paused to make a note. Into the sudden silence, my stomach decided to make its presence known again. Loudly. Walter's head jerked up and he looked around with a frown.

"What was that?"

William coughed slightly. "I believe it was Fox's stomach, my lord."

Walter turned and fixed that frown on me. "Fox, was that you?"

"Um - yes, my lord."

"When did you last eat?"

"Yesterday. At the first stop, sir."

Walter gave an exasperated sigh and threw his pen down on his desk. "And why didn't you eat when you awakened this morning? There was bread and fruit on the table in my chamber."

"That was your food, Master," I said quietly.

"By all the - " Walter broke off his oath and rubbed his hand across his eyes. "Fox, you have my permission to eat and drink anything in my chambers. Are we clear on that?"

"Yes, sir. Should I return there?"

"From the sound of that growl, it will hardly be satisfied with bread. William, take Fox out to the kitchens and have Maggie feed him. You can finish the scrolls after that, Fox."

"Yes, sir."

I followed William out of the room and saw him look over at me with a grin. "You're a right handful, aren't you, Fox?" Evidently no reply was expected to that remark. "The kitchen is this way. Maggie - that's my wife - is the housekeeper here and she'll see that Cook finds you something hot and filling." That sounded wonderful and my stomach agreed, and William chuckled again.

"Have you worked for Lord Walter for long?" I asked as he led me out the back of the hall and across the kitchen gardens.

William nodded. "I've been with his lordship all his life, and I've been steward here since he took over the management when he was a lad younger than you. He's a good man - a bit short-tempered at times and rough with his tongue." He chuckled. "Although there should be less of that now, and there's plenty as will be glad that you've come here, lad."

Wonderful. Just what I needed to boost my self-confidence - the knowledge that the entire estate was counting on my sexual prowess to keep Lord Walter satisfied and off their backs.

We entered the kitchens and William called out to a small, dark-haired woman who was checking the contents of a barrel in a storeroom with a frown. She crossed to us, wiping her hands on her apron, and looked me over in quick appraisal.

"Well, you must be his lordship's Fox."

"Lord Walter would like you to find young Fox something to eat. It seems the lad has missed several meals and his stomach is sorely troubling him over it."

Maggie beamed at me as if learning that I was hungry was the best news she had ever heard. "We'll set you to rights, lad. Go on back to his lordship, Bill. I'll bring the young man back to his office when he's done eating." William nodded and hurried off with a reassuring smile at me, and Maggie looked me over again. "My stars, lad, you're nothing but skin and bone! Where have you been that you got so thin?"

"Prison," I said dryly.

Maggie made clucking noises and muttered something about "putting decent young lads in prison" as she settled me at a trestle table and called out orders to the kitchen staff. Two giggling servant wenches brought over a plate of broken meats, a loaf of bread, and a mug of beer, setting them on the table before me and trying to flirt with me until I was red with embarrassment.

"Off with you light-skirts!" Maggie ordered, seeing my embarrassment. "He belongs to His Lordship and is not for common trollops like you!" She settled across the table from me and gestured at the plate before me. "Well, go on, boy! It's not much but it should fill your stomach till dinner."

Not much? Compared to what I'd eaten over the past month, this was a feast and I set upon it like a ravenous animal. Maggie kept me company with an endless stream of small talk about the estate and its inhabitants until, by the end of the meal, I felt I knew the denizens of the manor intimately. Maggie surveyed my clean plate with beaming approval and took my mug to refill it, returning with a small tart in the other hand.

"Fresh out of the oven and filled to bursting with blackberries," she announced, setting it down with a wink. "I doubt that anyone will notice that one tart has gone missing."

I didn't protest, not even once, before that tart and I became one. It had been so long since I had tasted anything so good and she beamed at me again when I told her that.

"I don't hold by fancy dishes here, not as some prefer," she announced with a sniff, and I had a feeling that she was referring to the late mistress, "but you'll get good, solid, nourishing food at my table. We'll have flesh on those bones of yours by winter."

"Thank you, ma'am. You're being very good to me."

"Such a well-mannered lad - his lordship said there was nothing common about you and he was right."

I flushed a little at that, then began to think that Lord Walter would be expecting me back to finish the scrolls. Another thought occurred to me. "When does Lord Walter eat luncheon? Surely it is past time."

Maggie shook her head in amusement. "He'll send for a tray when he gets hungry - although like as not he's so buried in his papers that he won't notice till dinner. Aye, and growl about it like a wounded bear."

"I'll take his lunch to him," I offered. "I've got to finish my work anyway."

Maggie gave me a look that I couldn't read, then laughed softly. "Aye, lad. I believe you'll have him eating out of your hand in a month." She stood and, in a matter of minutes, handed me a tray laden with a roasted bird among other things, and then she hefted a pitcher and led the way.

Lord Walter looked up as I entered with the tray, followed by Maggie, and growled, "Maggie, I didn't ask for luncheon. I'm too busy right now to stop."

"Don’t blame Dame Margaret. It was my idea. You haven't eaten and it's past time." I stood in front of the desk, my eyes fixed on the tray in my hands, but I could feel the glare that he directed at me.

"Fox, you appear to have forgotten who is in charge here," he growled.

"You are, Master," I said, moving toward the side table. "Shall I set the tray down here, sir?"

"You - oh hell - just set it down anywhere!"

I carefully set the tray down and turned back to him with my head bowed. "Shall I finish the scrolls, sir?"

"Oh for the Gods' sake - Maggie, take him out of here! The brat needs new clothing - get your women working on it."

Remembering an earlier lesson, I backed my way toward the door. It was only when I was in the hallway that I gave into the shaking and leaned weakly against the wall. Lord Walter would no doubt beat me for my audacity later.

A low chuckle caught my attention, and I looked over at Maggie in stunned surprise.

"Did I say a month? I give him two weeks at most!" She tugged at my sleeve, laughing again at the look on my face. "Come on, lad. Let's see about getting you some new clothes."

 

Chapter 7

Walter

I looked over at William to find him grinning at me and glared. "And what are you smiling about, idiot?"

"You, my lord. You just chastised the lad for neglecting to eat and he turned around and caught you at it. It's about time that you had someone to look after you."

"I didn't buy him to be a nursery-maid," I growled. "I bought him to warm my bed and serve as my clerk."

William walked over to the desk where Fox had completed two more of the scrolls, examining them. "He has a fine hand, my lord. Unusual to find in a slave."

I set down my pen and frowned. "His father was a Clerk at Court. He was accused of treason and the family - well you know what happens to the family of traitors. His parents are dead, his sister gone. The boy himself was at University before this happened."

"An educated lad hardly makes a good bedwarmer, my lord."

"In any case, that is my concern and not yours, William."

"Certainly, my lord. I just hope that you don't set your heart on this boy returning your affection."

"My affection - are you daft? He's a slave, not my lover or consort."

"Just as long as you remember that, my lord."

I was sitting there at my desk, brooding about his words, when Maggie entered to fetch the tray.

"Your Fox is with the tailors, my lord. They're fitting a tunic and breeches to him now, and they'll have two sets of clothing ready by the morning and the rest within a few days. And the bootmaker has taken his measurement but it'll be a week before the boots are ready. He'll need a decent cloak before winter, too. I'll have to send into the village for heavy woolens - or would you prefer fur?"

"He's a slave boy, Maggie, not a child's doll to be dressed up."

"Aye, and that's something I don't understand. Fox told me about his family but I don't understand why you bought him."

"If I hadn't, Sir John Smythe would have bought him. And I have the feeling that Sir John triggered the events that led to the accusation against his father."

"Dear Lady!" Even here, rumors of Sir John's unnatural influences and tastes were beginning to spread. "But surely you could free him, keep him here as a clerk."

"I have no power to free him. It was the King's writ that imprisoned and enslaved him, and only the King can release him."

"I see." Maggie slowly walked toward the door with the tray. "It's been a long time since you had anyone here to share your bed."

I eyed her with a frown, certain that this was leading somewhere. "Yes, it has been."

"Why Fox?"

"Because I own him and want him. What is this about, Maggie? You've never questioned my preferences before now."

"It's just - he's such a young and innocent lad."

I growled and wondered why everyone persisted in viewing me as a debaucher of the young. "He is eighteen, Maggie and, although he is a virgin with men, he has tumbled more than one girl at University. Hell, at eighteen I was a married man and would have been a father if Sharon had been fertile."

Maggie sighed. "Yes, my lord. If you wish to change before dinner, you had best do so."

I growled, irritated at my staff's insistence in meddling in my affairs, and picked up my pen again. I didn't have time to change - didn't really have time for dinner; I had not gotten everything done that I needed to, and I was going to be away from the castle for two days. An hour later, I had made a sizable dent in the work before me when there was a knock on the door and Fox entered.

"Dinner, my lord."

"Coming," I said absently, then something registered and I called out, "Fox!" He came back in and I grinned. "New clothes?"

He looked down at the green tunic and brown breeches and grinned back at me. "Better? A little less like socks on a rooster?"

I capped my pen and rose, joining him at the door. "Much better."

The Hall was humming with talk and laughter when I entered, and I felt myself relax. I liked being here, among my people, so many of them familiar to me for years. I stopped to exchange a greeting with one, to congratulate another on the birth of his first child, aware of Fox following on my heels and the curious glances cast at him. I took my place at the High Table alone, a usual occurrence since I did not encourage visitors, and Fox brought me a bowl of water for washing my hands and a towel to dry them. The pages brought out the platters of meat and vegetables, and I found that I had a healthy appetite after all. I saw Captain Scully enter the Hall, stopping to speak to a few of her men, before taking her seat at the table with her foster parents. I saw her glance in my direction and then past me briefly, and I glanced over my shoulder to see that Fox had taken his place along the wall behind me.

"Fox," I called and he came forward to my side, kneeling.

"Master?"

"I'm bored with my own company. Sit. Entertain me." He hesitated, surprised, and I called over one of the pages. "A plate and cup for the boy. Talking is thirsty work."

I was aware of the looks being exchanged in the hall as Fox settled into the seat at my right hand, muttering a polite thanks to the page as he set out a plate and cup. I gestured for the page to fill Fox's wineglass and I carved a slice of beef from the platter, forking it onto his plate along with a selection of vegetables.

"So, Fox, tell me what you think of your new home so far." I pulled his plate closer to me so that I could cut the meat since he didn't have an eating knife, then decided that this would be a good lesson for both young Fox and my well-meaning-but-interfering staff. I speared a piece of the meat and held it up for Fox to eat. Hesitantly, he opened his mouth and pulled the tidbit off the fork, chewing it carefully.

"It's different from what I'm used to - but very nice," he added hastily. I held up another morsel. From his flushed face, I could tell that he was embarrassed to be fed like this but he would get used to it - and I could have commanded that he kneel beside my chair while I fed him.

"Different - how so?"

"We lived in a house in Town since I was a child, so that Father could be near the Court. It was a large house as such things go in town, with a small garden in the back, but nowhere near as large as this. And, of course, we didn't have a fortress surrounding us." He frowned at the piece of carrot that I held up to his lips. "I don't like carrots."

"I don't recall asking you what you liked." Reluctantly, he opened his mouth again and accepted the forkful of the hated vegetable, reaching for his goblet as soon as he had swallowed. I continued to feed him in between prompting him to talk and there were no further protests. I smiled - Fox was a quick learner, I thought, although I had no doubt that we would continue to have tussles of will. As a reward, I picked up a fruit tart in my fingers and held it up to his mouth. His eyes lit up and he carefully ate the sweet out of my fingers. The sight of those sharp white teeth made me wonder how they would feel on my skin and I felt a flash of heat run through my body.

"You missed some," I murmured, leaning over to lick a trail of berry juice off his full lower lip.

I felt his sharp intake of breath. "Master, they are watching us," he murmured as I released his mouth.

"Good. I don't want there to be any doubt that you belong to me." I held my fingers up to his mouth. "Clean them." Obediently, he licked the crumbs and berry juice off each finger then, to my surprise, sucked each digit into his mouth for a more thorough cleaning. His eyes flickered up to mine briefly, and I caught fire at the intense look in those chameleon-green depths. I leaned closer to him, murmuring in his ear, "You have the soul of a courtesan, my Fox. So hot, so eager for me. I could take you right here, on this table, and you wouldn't care who was watching. Can you see that, my sweet slave? Your naked chest pressed against this hard table while I filled that hot, tight ass again and again, pounding into you until you came screaming my name." I heard the groan that escaped from him and brushed my fingers over his groin. "Yes, you like that, don't you? You are already hard and eager for me."

Fox released the fingers that he had been sucking and opened the eyes that he had squeezed shut while I talked. "Please, Master," he murmured, his eyes hot and begging.

I chuckled and brushed my fingers over his lips and down his cheek. "Bedtime, Fox." I rose from the table and gestured to William to resume his place when he would have come to my side. "Don't interrupt your meal, William. I shall be turning in for the night."

"Yes, my lord," he said and his eyes flicked over to where Fox stood. "Your bailiff will be ready in the morning."

"Good. Come, Fox."

Once we were in my chamber, Fox quickly undressed me and helped me into my bedrobe, then followed me down the hallway to the bathing chamber. I slipped off my robe and eased into the water, unable to prevent the blissful sigh that escaped from me as the warm water eased the tensions of the past month away. I opened my eyes and looked over at Fox.

"Join me, boy."

He readily stripped off his clothes and slid into the water, reminding me a little of the sleek water creatures that I had seen off the northern coast. The surprise on his face at the warmth of the water made me laugh.

"The water comes from a warm underground spring. The Romans discovered it and built a palace here and over time the various owners have added the fortifications and the manor house. The mineral water was the only thing that could soothe my mother's aching bones and joints during her last years."

"It feels good," Fox admitted.

"That's not the only thing that feels good," I said, and pulled the slave over to straddle my lap. "Your skin feels as smooth as a seal, except where the hair is growing out. I will shave you again after our bath."

I stifled the protest with my mouth, and he responded with a tentative eagerness to my kisses. I coaxed his mouth open, drinking again of that sweet warmth, relishing the delicious shiver that ran through him as I slowly explored his mouth. One hand held his head in place while the other gently caressed his back but I attempted no further explorations with my hands, concentrating on our kisses. I intended to take this seduction very slowly.

I released his mouth and let my lips travel over his face: the slight youthful stubble of his cheeks, the sleek warmth of skin over fine bone of his temples, the closed eyes, the line of his nose which made his face distinctive instead of merely pretty. My mouth moved back to his and he opened to me without hesitation this time, eagerly welcoming me back. My cock began to harden and move against his, and I heard him breathe in sharply, startled and aroused at the same time.

"Time to take this elsewhere."

He dried me carefully and helped me into my robe, then I fetched the shaving supplies and removed the light stubble re-emerging over his body. He flushed in embarrassment as I shaved his genitals but I ignored him - in time, he would become accustomed to this. I ordered him back into the pool to rinse, then ran my hand over his skin to check that nothing had been missed, enjoying the slick feeling under my fingers. I had had male lovers before, some with even more hair than me, and had enjoyed the feel of their hair against my skin but there was something exotic about this absolute nakedness.

Once Fox had dried off, we returned to my chamber and I settled down in my chair in front of the fire. Something hard poked at my thigh, and I found the slender book I had been reading at Reggie's tucked in the cushions. I pulled it out and looked at it, puzzled at how it had gotten there, then glanced over at Fox as he moved around the room, putting away my clothes and straightening the room. Of course - he must have found it when he was unpacking my saddlebag and had been indulging in a little reading. I set the book on the table and resolved to talk with Fox about that later.

Fox came over to kneel in front of me, my belt in his hands, and I felt a rush of pride that he had remembered my instructions from two days past even though he was obviously reluctant to submit to this.

"All right, Fox. We have two days to cover since you were too tired last night for us to attend to this. What are your transgressions?"

He took a deep breath and I waited, curious as to what Fox would feel were his failings. I was unaware of any major faults, although there had been token protests on a number of items.

"I didn't finish the scrolls that you ordered me to copy - that's one. Then I argued with you about changing horses, and shaving - oh, and those carrots. That's two each. And your lunch - I forced that upon you which I had no right to do, which I suppose is being disobedient and that's three. Ten total." His hands holding the belt trembled slightly but his voice was firm and steady.

"It occurs to me, Fox, that you are going to be overly hard on yourself. I hadn't thought of that - most slaves try to avoid punishment for their actions."

His head jerked up, his eyes meeting mine, confused. "Master? I don't understand."

"I told you to leave the scrolls for later, so there will be no punishment for that. As to your 'arguing' - as I recall in each of those instances, you voiced a brief protest and, when I insisted, you acquiesced. That is permissible, therefore, there will be no punishment for those items. Although I will no longer accept any protest about shaving. You know that I require that of you and there will be no further comments allowed. Now, about the final item." I leaned over and cupped Fox's chin with my hand. "How can I possibly find fault with your wanting to take care of me? I am touched that you would think to do such a thing. You expressed more concern over my well-being than you took for yourself, and that is the only real fault I have to find with you."

"Sir?"

"I will not have you missing any more meals, Fox. You are already undernourished from your ordeal, and I will not have you jeopardize your health. And what good to me is a slave who is fainting from hunger? Furthermore, I do not wish to be interrupted while working or making love by your protesting stomach. So I will add this to the list of punishable offenses. From now on, you will receive one stroke for every meal that you miss unless you have a very good excuse, and you will get one stroke tonight as a reminder of this. Am I understood, Fox?"

"Yes, Master," he said faintly, looking at the ground. "So that is eleven total?"

"I just said 'one', Fox."

"But you said that if my count and yours differed that I would receive both combined."

I bit back my exasperation. "That is only if your count is lower than mine, boy. If I choose to give you less strokes than you think you deserve, you won't be penalized for it."

He looked greatly relieved. "Thank you, sir. Where do you want me?"

I pointed toward a bench over to the side. It was uncomfortably hard, of the right height, and had cross braces underneath where he could hold on. "Over that."

Fox nodded and moved into position, bent over the bench with his head nearly touching the floor on the other side and his bottom raised. I readied myself to administer the whipping then recalled something that I had wanted to discuss. "One moment, Fox. The last time I whipped you, you made no sound. Is that how you were taught to receive punishment?"

I could see his hair brush the floor as he nodded. "My father - if I made a sound, he would whip me twice as hard."

I rested one hand reassuringly on his back. "I won't do that, boy. I prefer to know that the punishment is making some impression on you, so you may cry or scream or make any noise you wish. If you remain silent, I may think that I am not striking hard enough. On the other hand, I do know the difference between a genuine reaction and playacting, so don't expect that carrying-on as if you were dying will lighten your punishment." His body jerked at that and I saw his head nod again. "All right, Fox. Only one stroke tonight."

He gripped the cross-brace and I could see his whole body tense. I ran my hand over his back for a moment, steadying him, then raised my hand and administered one sharp blow across both cheeks where he would feel it in the morning. I felt the startled whoosh of breath, the choked off sound, and caressed his back again. "All over, boy. You may get up."

Fox stood, took the belt from me, and hung it up in the wardrobe, then returned to stand in front of me, eyeing me uncertainly. I smiled and touched his face gently, stroking his cheek. "And now, my Fox, I am going to claim you for my own." I could feel the slight tremble in his body. "You have nothing to fear, my sweet one. I'll take care to give you the most pleasure and the least pain possible."

"Thank you, Master."

I pulled him into my arms, my mouth seeking his. Fox's mouth was hot against mine, his body warm and pliant, and I fell into that warmth willingly. I caressed his back with my hands, ran my hands over his firm ass, and bent my head to tongue one of those tempting nipples, loving the groan that escaped from his lips.

"Gods…master…please…"

That begging voice sent fire straight to my cock and I pushed him down onto the bed, pinning his body beneath mine as I continued teasing his nipples. He continued to make helpless noises, his hands clutching at the covers, as my mouth moved down over his belly towards the rising evidence of his arousal.

A sudden pounding on the door made me swear and I raised my head to glare at the door. "It had better be damned important!"

"Lord Walter, it's an urgent matter." It was Captain Scully's voice. "The baggage train was attacked."

"What?" I sat up and ran my hand over my head, then looked back at Fox, lying flushed and panting and naked on my bed. I sighed - duty came first. I pulled the sheet over Fox, pulled my bedgown back on, and went to open the door. "Come in, Captain." Captain Scully entered, carefully averting her eyes from the bed where Fox was still sprawled, half-covered by the sheet, trying to catch his breath. "What is the situation?"

"I sent fresh guards out this morning to relieve the guards with the baggage carts. One of the guards has just returned with the report that the baggage carts and their escort had been attacked, the guards killed so there is no way to identify the attackers. By the looks of it, several of their men were hurt or killed but they took the bodies with them."

I frowned. "Unusual behavior for thieves. What did they take?"

"Nothing, sir."

I stared at the Amazon. "Nothing?"

"No, sir. They tore apart the wagon - goods were strewn everywhere - but nothing appeared to be missing."

"Why in hell would thieves attack an escorted baggage train and then not take anything - " I stopped and turned to look at the figure now sitting quietly on the bed.

"My thoughts exactly, sir." Captain Scully stared into the fire, obviously reluctant to continue. "Slaves generally ride with the baggage. It appears you were right to be concerned about his safety, sir."

I looked back at the young captain and started to speak but a tight, flat voice interrupted me.

"How many?"

We both turned to look at the bed. Fox was sitting up against the headboard, his arms wrapped around his legs, his face absolutely white. "How many?" he repeated. "How many did they kill?"

Captain Scully looked back at me, her face clearly asking if she should answer. I shook my head at the Captain and Fox launched himself off the bed, unconcerned about his nakedness, eyes blazing in that pale face as he confronted the Captain.

"Damn it, I asked you how many!" There was a ring of authority in that voice, an echo of the man he had been just a month prior, a man accustomed to having his orders obeyed. Before I could speak, the Captain automatically responded to that voice.

"Eight guards, sir. Plus the two drivers."

If possible, Fox's face went even whiter. "Ten. Ten people killed because of me."

"That will be all, Captain," I said firmly. "Take a detail out in the morning. Escort the train back. And see that the dead are brought back to receive proper burial. I'll talk with William and make sure that their families are cared for."

Captain Scully nodded and hastily left the room while Fox turned desperate eyes toward me. "You've got to send me back."

"I have no intention of doing that."

"Sir John is behind this, and he'll stop at nothing to get me - surely you can see that!"

"Of course. But I don't intend to let him have you. You belong to me and you will remain with me."

Fox's eyes blazed at me. "You knew that this might happen! That's why you had me ride with you instead of with the baggage! Those people are dead because of me - and you could have prevented it!"

He swung at me, wildly, and I ducked his blow and pinned him against my body, my arm holding him immobilized in a headlock, his back against my chest. "That'll be enough of that!" I growled in his ear. He struggled ineffectively, his body still too weak from his past ordeal to put up much of a fight, then sagged against me. "Are we done with this, Fox?"

"Yes, sir," he murmured, his eyes closed.

I eased my hold on him but didn't completely release him - I thought that he would likely collapse if I did. "Fox," I said gently in his ear, "if you give yourself up to Sir John, it will not bring the dead back to life. This was his doing, not yours. You are not to blame."

A sob wracked the slender body and I swung him up into my arms, settling into the chair by the fire with him on my lap. He buried his face against my nightshirt and, for the first time since I had met him, wept in my arms.

 

Fox

All the tears that had been held back over the past horrible month spilt over. I wept for my dead parents, for my missing sister. I wept for the guards and the drivers. And I wept for myself, for a life lost and innocence destroyed. And while I wept, warm, strong arms held me close while a gentle hand rubbed my back and a soft voice murmured in my ear. I don't know what he said - I was too lost in my own grief to absorb the words - but the meaning was clear. I was here, I was safe, I was cared for, I belonged to him. I belonged here. I drew comfort from that, from the large, warm body cradling me, and slipped into exhausted slumber.

I awoke the next morning in bed, alone. Again. Really, I thought with amusement, this was getting to be a habit. I rolled over in the bed, stretching out, and found my face pressed against a pillow - his pillow - with his scent still clinging to it. I sat up, hugging it to my chest, and breathed deeply, then grinned to myself. I was acting like a lovesick idiot.

There was a rap at the door and I hastily released the pillow. "Come!"

A servant girl opened the door and Maggie entered with a tray, beaming at me. "So you are awake now? Lord Walter asked me to make sure you ate this morning." She set the tray down over by the fireplace and poked up the fire; autumn was setting in and the mornings were becoming quite chilly. I quickly slipped on my discarded breeches, glad for the fire's warmth as I settled down to eat my breakfast. Behind me, I could hear the maidservant stripping and remaking the bed, bundling up the sheets and the dirty clothes I had set aside before leaving the room.

"Where is Lord Walter?" I asked around a mouthful of food. "Is he in his study already?"

Maggie was sorting through a pile of cloth that the maidservant had set down and she shook her head. "Lord Walter's gone out riding the grounds with his bailiff. He won't return till tomorrow evening."

"Oh," I said, disappointed.

"William will be fetching you after breakfast to finish some copy work for Lord Walter. In the meantime, here are some of the new clothes that have been finished and you might wish to bathe. Have you seen the bathing chamber yet?"

I nodded. "Lord Walter showed it to me last evening."

"Good. Take your time, and when you are ready you will find William in Lord Walter's office." She patted my cheek and bustled off.

I quickly finished my meal and stripped off my clothes, then made my way to the bathing chamber, sinking down into the warm water blissfully. For a long time I was content to drift and let the warmth sink into my muscles. I was still a little stiff from our long journey but not as bad as the previous day. Then I remembered that Lord Walter had left work for me and would not be pleased by his slave idling away his time. I sat up and washed quickly, then wrapped a towel around my body and returned to Lord Walter's chamber.

There were two sets of clothes on the bed and I chose a tunic and breeches in shades of blue, dressing quickly while reveling in the thought of new clothes after so long, something I had taken for granted before my imprisonment. My boots would not be ready for another week, so I slipped the soft-shoes back on my feet and went in search of William.

He looked up with a smile as I entered the office. "You look much better this morning, young Fox. Amazing what a few hot meals and clean clothes will do, isn't it?"

I agreed and started towards the little desk, but William stopped me. "Before you settle down, his lordship wanted me to give you a complete tour, including the manor and the castle itself. He may need to send you on errands and you'll need to know where everything is. Then he has those summons for you to finish and a letter that he drafted to the local merchants' guild that he'd like you to copy out in a fair hand. That should keep you occupied for today. You'll be taking your meals in here or in his lordship's chamber, not in the Hall." I nodded. "Good. Then let's go over the outside first."

We spent the better part of the morning going over the castle. I had never been inside such a one before, and it was like a small village within the sheltering walls of the castle. There were the kitchens with their gardens, the stables, barns and storage buildings, a small shrine, mews and a kennel. William introduced me to the blacksmith and the dogboy, the head groom and the stable boys, the master falconer and the cook. He pointed out the soldiers' barracks, which were in part of the outer keep, and took me into the armory where he introduced me to the Sergeant-at-Arms, Jerry Lamana, who was also the Captain's deputy.

"You're not to go near the soldiers' barracks, Fox; if Lord Walter sends you on an errand there, you are to find the Captain or Sergeant Lamana or, if you can't find one of them, send a page to find them." At my inquiring look he said, with a smile, "They're a rough lot, Fox, uneducated and simple men. I doubt that they'd lay a finger on you - not with you being under his lordship's protection - but men in their cups will act without thinking. Better safe than sorry. Lord Walter said that you're to consider that a punishable offense."

I nodded and followed him back into the manor house as he said, "Before the manor was built, the castellan and his family lived in that keep," and he pointed out a sturdy keep behind the hall. "Not the most comfortable of places, but safe and that's where you'll go if the castle should come under attack. Even if the outer walls are breached, we could hold off attackers from there till rescue came. That's where we accommodate most guests - not that we have many since Lord Walter chooses not to entertain. There's also guest chambers on the second floor of the manor, as well as my chamber and the Captain's."

"I understand that the late king built this house."

William nodded. "Before that, there was just the Roman bathhouse on this spot, where the spring came to the surface. But Lord Walter's mother couldn't abide the cold of the keep - even as a young woman she had the joint sickness - so he built this house for her. That's why the lord's chambers are on the first floor instead of the second - so she wouldn't have to climb stairs."

"He must have loved her a great deal."

"He did," William said quietly. "Do you know the story?" I shook my head. "She was dedicated to the Lady by her parents when she was a child and sent to the Isle of Maidens to take the Veil in the Lady's service. One day, the Maidens came to the mainland to gather herbs for their healing. The King rode by and caught sight of Lady Anne. I've heard that when their eyes met it was like magic. She put down the herbs she had been gathering, walked over to him, and he lifted her into the saddle before him without either saying a word. There was no need. Their eyes had already spoken.

"The priests forbade them to marry because she was dedicated to the Lady, and they said that the joint sickness she developed was punishment from the Gods. They didn't seem to care; King Stephen brought her here and they were blissfully happy together and a year later Lord Walter was born. When she became ill, he built this house for her and he was faithful to her for ten years until her death. He only married the Queen at the insistence of the Council that he provide a legitimate heir, although I think he hoped to convince them to accept Lord Walter. The priests would not consecrate him as heir; there is no love lost between Lord Walter and the High Priest because of his mother. But his lordship is happiest here - he would not have wanted to be king."

William finished showing me the second floor of the manor, pointing out his chamber and the Captain's in case I needed to bring a message during the night, then we went back down to the main floor. "There's one more room that his lordship wanted me to show you. He wanted me to save it for last." He walked past Lord Walter's office and opened a door, gesturing for me to enter. I did so, then halted in amazement.

I stood in the middle of a room about half again as big as the office. A fireplace burned at one end with a couple chairs drawn up before it. A long table littered with maps stood to one side, along with an inlaid scale model of the kingdom with flags marking the defensive castles. But it was the far wall that caught my attention: between two floor-to-ceiling windows stood shelf after shelf of books. The scent of leather and fine paper filled the air.

"Lord Walter left a letter for you on the table," William said. "I'll have your lunch brought here shortly."

I heard the door close behind me but I barely noticed. On numb feet, I moved forward and picked up the letter, blinking to bring it into focus. Fox - You will be able to make good use of this library as I expect you to continue your studies. I have requested a copy of your transcript and, upon my return, we will set up a program of study for you to pursue outside of your regular duties. I doubt that you will find documented studies verifying other Planes of Existence among these books, but I am sure that I will be able to procure any legitimate resources that you require for your studies. W.

I blinked my eyes rapidly to prevent tears from spilling onto the precious parchment and carefully folded it, tucking it into my pouch. Then I gave into the library's siren call and ran caressing hands over the spines of the books, lovingly touching old friends and rejoicing over new acquaintances to be made. And, as I fell asleep that night tucked around a volume of Plato's Dialogs, I dreamed of brown eyes meeting mine across an open marketplace and of magic.

 

Chapter 8

Walter

Darkness was falling as I crossed under the portcullis and entered the courtyard with my bailiff and the small troop of guards that had accompanied us. I sent them off towards their long-delayed meals and entered the manor, stripping off my gloves as I did so. I hesitated in the entryway, then turned to my right and headed towards the library. As I opened the door, I caught firelight glinting off brown hair and smiled.

"I thought I would find you here."

There was the sound of a heavy tome hitting the floor and then a slender figure was throwing himself into my arms and pressing kisses over my face in between thanks and impossible declarations of devotion and obedience. I laughed and returned a kiss that had managed to land on my lips, then gently removed the arms that threatened to strangle me.

"Slowly, Fox, slowly. And breathe before you pass out."

Fox laughed and released me. "Sorry, Master. I've been saving up everything that I wanted to say and it just came out at once. Have you eaten yet or did you just arrive?"

"Just arrived and, yes, I'm hungry but I'd like to get clean first."

"Of course, sir."

Fox took a moment to bank the fire and carefully place the volume he'd been reading on the desk, then he led the way to the bathing chamber where he quickly stripped me. After I slid into the water with a grateful sigh, he murmured that he'd be back in a few minutes and slipped out with my dirty clothes. I closed my eyes and just let myself drift, and it seemed only moments later that Fox returned with my bedgown over one arm and balancing a tray with the other. He set the tray down next the bathing pool and shed his own clothes, then slipped into the water and began carefully washing my body. I watched his face as he concentrated on his task.

"So what did you do while I was gone?"

"I went with William on a tour of the castle and he gave me your instructions about the barracks." Mischievous grey-green eyes flicked up at him before returning to their task. "And I hear and obey, Master."

"Impertinent imp," I growled mockingly, reaching around to pinch a bare ass cheek. He laughed at that and squirmed out of reach. Considering that the last time I had seen him awake he had been in tears, I was pleased at the change. "What else?"

"I finished the scrolls and letters, and William went over them so they are just awaiting your seal. I ate three meals today and three meals yesterday, and Maggie can vouch that I cleaned my plate. I stayed out of trouble and began reading Plato's Dialogs. Did you know that he wrote about a lost island called Atlantis that was supposed to be a perfect society? He briefly mentions it in 'Timaeus', which I've read, but describes it in detail in 'Critias' - I hadn't been able to get my hands on that one till I found it in your library. It seems that this Atlantis was possibly settled by beings from another world and mysteriously destroyed - "

"Fox," I interrupted. "Another time, please."

Fox flushed. "Sorry, Master. Sometimes I get a little carried away."

I chuckled. "I can see that." I caressed a soft cheek affectionately, then again in surprise and ran a hand over his chest. "You shaved."

He nodded, flushing and ducking his head in embarrassment. "You - um - weren't here to do it last night and I know that you like me to be smooth so I did it myself. I had a little trouble in some areas but overall - "

He had no chance to finish as I pulled him close and kissed him soundly. When I let him go again, he grinned and said, "Well, if I had known you were going to kiss me like that every time I shave, I wouldn't have objected in the first place."

"Impudence," I said and settled him so that he straddled my lap. "I can see that I'm going to have to keep my eye on you if you're going to get so saucy when I'm gone just two days."

"I like the sound of that," Fox said, then reached for the tray beside my head. He held a tidbit of meat before my lips and his eyes twinkled at me. "My turn to feed you, Master."

"Definitely getting out of hand," I growled but opened my mouth and let him feed me. I nipped at his fingers and he drew them back with a laugh. He finished feeding me, then hauled me out of the pool and back to my chamber where, to my surprise, he settled me on the bed and began massaging my back. I relished the warm weight of his body as he straddled my buttocks and marveled at the strength of those clever fingers as he worked out all the knots and tension from two days in the saddle and a night lying on the hard ground. I felt my eyes drift closed under his loving ministration and let myself slide into sleep.

 

Fox

By the time I realized that my massage wasn't only relaxing his muscles but was putting him to sleep it was too late. Lord Walter was deep in slumber and not even a nibble on an earlobe or a murmur in his ear could wake him. I sat back on my heels, frustrated beyond belief, and gave up. Another night of celibacy. I realized in amusement that it had been almost a week since Lord Walter had bought me and I was still a virgin. And it looked like that wasn't going to change anytime soon.

I got out of bed and dressed in my discarded clothes, then set about sorting Lord Walter's clothing. His tunic and breeches went into the pile for the laundress but he had worn a heavy padded garment over top his clothes that felt like it had plates stitched into it and I had no idea what to do with it. I slipped out of the room with it and padded upstairs to the Captain's room, tapping lightly on her door. A moment later, she opened it and looked at me in surprise.

"Milord Fox?"

I held up the garment. "This is Lord Walter's and I have no idea what to do with it."

She laughed and shook her head. "One moment." I waited in the doorway while she disappeared into her room and returned a moment later with her boots on. "Follow me, Fox."

The Captain led me across the courtyard to the armory and pointed toward a padded form that looked like a tailor's dummy. "Put it on that. In the morning I'll show you how to clean it and check for tears and missing plates."

"Thanks," I said and she nodded, suppressing a yawn. I recalled that she had just returned that day as well, escorting the remains of the baggage carts and the bodies of men that she had commanded. "I'm sorry - you must be exhausted."

"I'm fine." She looked at me sideways as we returned to the manor. "How about you, Fox? Are you settling in okay?"

I shrugged. "As well as can be expected. I'm glad that Lord Walter is back."

"You like him, don't you?"

The question could have been phrased in a way that would have been suggestive or lewd or disgusted, but Captain Scully said it almost rhetorically, answering her own question. I nodded.

"Yes. He's been fair in his treatment of me - more than fair," I added, recalling the library. "He's indulged me in a way that no other master would have, been patient with my mistakes. I think he could be very harsh if I disobeyed him, but he's also been kind."

"And you don't mind about the sex?"

I flushed a little but gave her a rueful grin. "Well, actually, there hasn’t been any. Between traveling and - and everything. But no, I don't think I'll mind about the sex." I looked at her curiously. "Have you ever - ?"

"I'm not attracted to men."

"Oh." I wanted to ask about the other option but figured that I was rather fond of all my body parts and the Captain didn't seem the type to share girlish confessions. I grinned at the thought of Captain Scully doing anything "girlish". "Well, good-night and thanks."

She nodded and headed up the stairs to her chamber and I went back to the library to fetch my book, then returned to Lord Walter's bedchamber.

He was sleeping soundly, snoring slightly, and I grinned at that as I pulled the sheet up over his body. Then I settled down with my book on the nest that I had made next to the fireplace and read until the dancing flames lulled me off to sleep.

 

Chapter 9

Walter

I woke to the realization of bright sunlight outside my chamber window, a comfortable bed under my back, and the thought that I was getting too old for roughing it out under the stars. Then I smiled as evidence indicated that, although my bones may think I'm old, other parts of my body were feeling very young and full of life. I reached out expectantly for a warm body but my questing hands came up empty. I sat up abruptly and looked around, but there was no indication that there had been anyone sleeping next to me. Had it been a dream, then? My heart sank at the thought, and then a murmured sound from the floor caught my attention. I glanced over at the fireplace and found my slave boy curled up there, clutching a pillow and muttering in his sleep. From what I could tell, the dreams weren't pleasant and when he murmured, "Samantha," I had the feeling that he was reliving his family's arrest.

I slipped out of bed and approached him carefully, knowing full well the dangers of waking those experiencing nightmares. "Fox," I said quietly. "Wake up, Fox. It's only a dream."

He stirred and a bleary eye blinked at me. "Sorry, Master. Did I wake you?"

I shook my head and reached out to caress his hair. "No. It was being alone in the bed that awakened me. Why are you sleeping down here instead of in my bed?"

He looked at me soberly. "The first night you said that if I pleased you I could sleep in the bed but otherwise I was to sleep on the floor. Since I wasn't able to please you last night, or the night you were gone, I slept down here."

I closed my eyes and shook my head, then gave my too-obedient slave a rueful grin. "So I did. Well, I'm going to change that rule. From now on, you sleep in my bed - whether I am here or not - unless I specifically send you to sleep on the floor. Understood?" He nodded and smiled at me, and I realized how much I had missed that smile in just two days. I leaned closer to kiss him.

There was a loud knock on the door. "Breakfast, my lord."

I swore under my breath and stood up, stomping into the latrine to relieve myself and splash cold water on my face. Fox had my clothes waiting when I returned to the main room and helped me dress, then served my breakfast before he settled down in front of the fire again and started on his own breakfast. Neither of us talked as we ate; Fox appearing deep in thought while I was just irritated with the way my morning had begun.

I set my empty plate back on the tray. Fox got up and took the tray to the door, setting it down outside and then looking over at me hesitantly. "Master?"

I sighed. "Yes, Fox?"

"I asked Dame Maggie to tell William that you'd be in the office after luncheon, that you needed this morning to - to rest." I turned my head to look at him and felt a grin cross my face. "I hope that you're not angry."

I rose from my chair and prowled toward him. "That depends on what you had planned for this morning, my Fox."

"I thought that I would make sure that you were adequately rested, Master."

"I think that sounds like an excellent idea."

I tossed him onto the bed and followed him down. I pinned his body beneath mine and felt the willing response, his mouth opening under mine as his hands came around me to hold me tighter against his body. I settled between his legs, feeling him spread them wider to accommodate me. I rocked my hips slowly, feeling the heat and hardness swelling inside the confines of his breeches as our groins rubbed together. My mouth swallowed his groan, and he returned my kisses with an intensity that drove any thoughts out of my mind but one - I had to have him and I had to have him now. I broke free from his mouth and my lips traveled across his face, mapping every contour, before moving down to his neck. He arched against my body, gasping, as I fastened my teeth on the spot where his neck met his shoulder.

"You like that?"

"Oh God, yes!" His hands plucked at my tunic, trying to find their way underneath to the skin. "More…please…"

I lifted my body slightly off his, just enough so that I could slide my hand between us and into his breeches. He gasped and then groaned as my hand took possession of his cock, and I could feel the heat and the swelling. He rocked against my hand, desperate to provide more friction. "You like that, too, don't you, boy? You like the feeling of my hands on your body, my mouth on your skin. Like knowing that you belong to me, that every inch of your body is mine to play with, to touch, to caress, to kiss."

"Yesss…please…please…make me all yours, Master." He was nearly sobbing now, humping against me in an effort to bring himself off, and I moved my hand down to tug his balls away from his body.

"Not yet," I said as he swore in frustration at the denial of his pleasure. "I intend to make this last a long, long time. By the time I let you come, you will be begging me for release." He groaned at that, licking those incredible lips, and I wanted to dive into them again. But first I needed to remove our clothes. I pushed myself up onto my knees and unfastened my belt, throwing it over on the floor, then unlaced my tunic so that I could pull it over my head. Fox's eyes were on me, hot eyes that could draw my soul out of my body. I leaned back down to secure another kiss -

A sharp knock on the door startled both of us and I swore, out loud and in colorful words. "What do you want?" I shouted at the door.

William's voice, quiet and apologetic, came through the solid door. "I'm sorry, my lord, but there is a messenger from the King. He says that he has an extremely important message for you and insists on speaking to you immediately."

Underneath me, I could feel Fox's body shaking and I realized that he was laughing helplessly. I pushed myself back up to my knees and looked down at him, lying there on my bed, still incredibly aroused and shaking in helpless mirth. Frustrated as I was, I had to smile.

"Fox, I am starting to get the feeling that the Gods themselves are intervening to protect your virginity."

"With all due respect to the Gods, sir, I wish They would mind Their own business." The frustration in his voice nearly equaled my own.

I chuckled and caressed his cheek. "Well, I had best go see what this summons is about. At this point, I wouldn't put it past Them to instigate a war to separate us." Fox got up, fetching my belt from the floor while I readjusted my tunic, his face troubled. "I am teasing, boy. The land is at peace and I'm sure that the Gods have other things to occupy Their time." I pulled him close, capturing his mouth for another kiss. "And I will have you soon, my sweet slave. If I have to lock every damn person here in the dungeon in order to secure some privacy."

I released him and went to the door, throwing it open. William was waiting in the hall and I saw his eyes flick toward Fox, as if reassuring himself that the boy was okay. A sudden unwelcome thought intruded - maybe it was not the Gods but my own personal staff who were interfering with my plans for Fox. Clearly William and Maggie were wrapped around his little finger as well as Captain Scully - not that I blamed the boy. His willingness, his pleasure at my touch, his frustration at the interruption could not have been forged - he simply did not have the ability to fake that. I frowned and decided that this dissension among my staff would have to be swiftly dealt with - unless I wanted to suffer permanent frustration.

"Fox, come with me. I may need you to take notes or draft a response." Fox nodded, straightening his clothes as he joined me. "William, show the messenger to my study."

I settled in my chair in the study and watched Fox settle down at the scribe's table over to the side. His face had settled into its customary bland mask as he set out his papers and uncorked the ink, checking the points on his pens.

The messenger was vaguely familiar to me, one I had seen at Court, so any thoughts that this was a faked message faded. Still, I examined the seal carefully for signs that it had been lifted by a hot knife or tampered with. There were none. I broke the seal and opened the scroll, reading through it quickly. Then I frowned and read it again, slowly.

Walt,

I was distressed to learn today that you had left without even bidding me good-bye. That is so unlike you, brother, that I feared that you might be unwell. I anxiously await reassurances that you have not caught one of those fevers that the lower classes are so prone to.

Speaking of which, my dear friend, Sir John, has become tiresome on the subject of a slave boy that you purchased at the market. I can certainly understand the "boy" part, but a slave? Seriously, Walter, when have you ever needed to purchase such comforts? Although, I suppose, the idea of a living soul dependent on one could be rather delicious, and one could certainly indulge unusual pleasures with such a creature. In any event, it is certain that Sir John has his heart set on this creature and has offered very generously to purchase him for three times what he cost you, even if he is no longer a virgin. (If it is true that he was a virgin, then I begin to understand your actions. Such a one is surely a rare find among slaves). In any event, Sir John would also be willing to exchange this Wolf or whatever he is called for one of his slaves. He assures me that the boy you purchased is a difficult creature, half-wild and untamed, and unworthy of your attention. Sir John has several slaves that have been trained to perfection and know infinite ways to provide exquisite pleasure - he is even willing to let you sample their wares before you make your decision once you come back to town with this Bear person.

Do come back, dear brother. I miss you dreadfully. I don't know why it is, but I never think as clearly as when you are around me to give your advice.

Love, Jeff

I rolled up the scroll and tapped it against my thigh, thinking quickly. So Sir John was trying to drag Jeffrey into this, was he? And that offer - as if I would want to take one of Sir John's discards in exchange for Fox, much less welcome a spy into my household.

I turned my attention back to the messenger. "What is your name, lad?"

"Michael, sir."

"William, see that Michael is accommodated with a room and a bath and fresh clothes. I imagine that he is hungry and tired as well." I smiled blandly back at the messenger who, for all his youth, was possibly another spy of John's. "By the time you have dined and rested, I will have a reply to take back to my brother."

Once the messenger had left, I turned to the man sitting silently to the side, waiting for instructions.

"Fox, draft a reply to my brother as follows. Tell him that I thank him for his concerns over my health but that matters of estate took me away from Court. It is the harvest season and it is critical that I am here on his lands to secure a bountiful harvest for his table. And, in regard to the matter of the slave, tell him that I regret Sir John's feelings of loss but that it is, after all, just another slave boy and that he can pick up another pretty specimen. Regarding Sir John's offer to exchange the boy for one of his own trained slave-boys, tell him that I appreciate the gesture but that I much prefer to train my own slaves to my own tastes and that I am not finding the boy to be troublesome at all. Let me see the draft when you're finished." Fox nodded and bent his head over his desk, and I signed the documents waiting for my signature, then settled back with my thoughts.

A short time later, a soft voice interrupted my thoughts. "Master? I have that draft ready."

I took the paper handed to me and read over it carefully, noting that Fox had a good way of phrasing his sentences. One sentence made me look over at him, eyebrow raised. "You've written here that 'I look forward with pleasure to returning to Court for the occasion of your birthday - ' I didn't say that."

"I know, sir, but I thought that it might reassure him. You do intend to be there for his birthday, don't you?"

"Of course - and Jeffrey knows that I've been there every year."

"Yes, sir, but it doesn't hurt to remind him of that so he doesn't think you've deserted him. From what my father said, the King is often insecure and requires reassurance."

I studied the young man and nodded. "You're right, Fox. Thank you." I handed the paper back to him. "No corrections. Write that out and I'll sign it."

While Fox worked, I went in search of my household staff. Time to have a serious talk with them.

Maggie and William appeared to be in a deep discussion with their foster daughter when I found them in the kitchen gardens. They looked up at me with wary and slightly guilty expressions.

"Ah, just the ones I was hoping to find. Captain Scully, did you have any problem bringing the wagons back home?"

"No, Lord Walter. The burial detail finished this morning, and the priest from the village is coming this afternoon to perform the ceremony. Will you be attending?"

"No," Walter said shortly. "The priest will not welcome my presence. I rely on you to represent me, Scully. William, are their families provided for?"

"Yes, my lord. Most of the men were single and their parents were either deceased or have other children to care for them. I have distributed the customary death compensation to the parents who had no other support. One man was married and I have made arrangements for his widow to be returned to her parents."

"Good. I would appreciate it if you will also attend the ceremony this afternoon. That way I will know where you are."

"Pardon, my lord?"

I turned to Maggie. "As for you, are you going to refrain from interfering, or am I going to need to lock you in the pantry till tomorrow?"

The three exchanged another look. "We don't understand, Lord Walter."

"Of course you understand. The messenger was from the King but his message wasn't marked urgent. Of course, the fact that Fox had asked Maggie to inform you, William, that we would be busy this morning might have something to do with the urgency of the message." William flushed and looked over at Maggie. "I thought as much."

Captain Scully cleared her throat. "I tried to tell them, sir, that Milord Fox didn't appear to be - reluctant."

"And what would an innocent young boy know about such things?" Maggie demanded of her foster-daughter.

"More than you might imagine," the Captain said wryly.

"The fact of the matter is that Fox belongs to me," I said grimly. "Whether you approve or not. Now, I'm going to go into my study and you're going to bring us lunch. And then I'm going to take Fox to bed. And if it's even half as good as I think it will be, I don't plan to get out of that bed till tomorrow morning. If anyone so much as breathes on my door before then, we had better be under attack or the manor had better be on fire. Have you got me, people?" Three heads nodded. "Good." I turned and stalked back into the manor house.

Fox looked up with a smile as I entered, and the sight of that smile was enough to reduce my ire and reinforce my plan. "It's finished, sir."

"Good work." I ruffled his hair and took the scroll, reading over it and signing it, then applying my seal. "Clean up, Fox. Lunch will be here momentarily."

Maggie entered a few minutes later with the tray, and Fox went to take it from her. She patted his cheek. "You're a good boy, Fox." She threw a look at me that I blandly ignored before she left.

"Is something wrong with Maggie?" Fox asked, puzzled, setting the tray down on the desk.

"I have no idea." I smiled and pulled him down to sit on my lap. He looked surprised but settled willingly enough. I brushed the hair off of his face and opened my mouth to say something but the door opened and William entered. "Ah, William. I have the scroll ready for the messenger." I handed William the scroll. "Give this to him and then let Maggie feed him and send him on his way. That should keep her busy."

"Very good, my lord."

I turned back to Fox who was polishing off a slice of bread and cheese, seemingly not the least bit concerned to be found sitting on my lap. I was well aware that William was watching and listening as he sorted out my papers. Deliberately, I smiled into Fox's questioning face and saw an answering smile in those expressive chameleon eyes. "I was very pleased with your work, Fox. You have a good hand and your phrasing was perfect. Considering that the subject matter of part of the scroll concerned you, you showed remarkable composure."

Fox flushed, pleased at my praise. "Thank you, sir."

"I think that you have earned yourself a special reward, Fox. What would you like to do this afternoon? Spend some time in the library, perhaps?" This was a risk, of course, but one hand was gently stroking his back while the other hand lay on his lap, covering the bulge swelling there.

"I - um - I’d rather have what - what you promised earlier."

I pretended not to remember. "What was that?"

Fox bit his lip and leaned closer to my ear, whispering, "You remember - in the bedchamber earlier. You promised to - to have me."

I looked directly in his face and said, clearly, "You want me to take you to my bed as your reward." He nodded. "Words, Fox."

"Please, Master. Please take me to bed and make me yours."

I smiled in satisfaction and kissed him, a hard and greedy kiss, and he opened to me completely. I could have taken him right there, or in the Hall in full sight of the entire staff, and he wouldn't have cared in the least. And if he didn't stop wiggling like that, I would be forced to take him here. I released his mouth, gently pushing him off my lap as I rose.

"Very well, Fox. You shall have your reward." I turned to William. "I think we are finished with lunch, William. Please see that I am not disturbed."

William's eyes met mine and he smiled ruefully, nodding. "Very well, my lord."

 

Chapter 10

Walter

Fox was nearly quivering with anticipation as we walked down through the hallways towards my chambers, barely restraining himself from tugging me along. It occurred to me that he was so hot, so eager for me that he would probably explode at my first touch.

The door had barely closed behind us when Fox was stripping off his clothes, recklessly unconcerned for where they fell or if they were damaged in the process. I had never seen anything so hot in my life and I have seen many a lover - male and female - disrobe seductively before this. If I thought I was aroused before I had been completely mistaken - I was now painfully hard. And, more to the point, by now my own self-control was seriously impaired. If I tried to take him in this state, it would be both too short and too rough to be enjoyable for him. I would have to take the edge off our hunger first.

Fox undressed me now, his hands slower and more careful with my clothing and my body than he had been with his own. His actions were interspersed with gentle kisses to whatever part of my body he exposed, an action both tender and erotic. I had seen professionals with less skill than this virgin and it took my breath away to imagine the possibilities once he got some practical experience in lovemaking. I wondered if I would survive the winter.

 

Fox

It's not that I hadn't seen his body before - over the last six days I had become intimately familiar with it while bathing, dressing, and undressing him. It's just that I hadn't become intimately familiar with his body. Which probably makes no sense, but I only knew that I wanted to worship him, to explore every inch of that magnificent frame, to learn what gave him pleasure. Speaking coldly and rationally, I knew that it was in my best interest to please him - I had no wish to become a common plaything in the soldiers' barracks. However, there was nothing cold and rational in my thinking. I was on fire, certain that by the time he finally took me I would be reduced to a pile of ashes. He stood still and accepting as I undressed and caressed him, and only the hitch in his breathing told me that he was feeling this as deeply as I was. By the time I had him naked, we were both breathing heavily and seconds away from exploding. And then he caught me by the back of the head with one hand and around the waist with the other, pulling me in tight for one of those devastating kisses, and we were of a perfect height for our groins to mesh. His hand slipped down to my ass and he thrust against me once, twice, and I was coming and moaning and shaking all over.

I was mortified to have lost control, certain he would banish me to the floor to sleep, but his mouth was against my ear. "By all the Gods, I've never known anyone so beautiful, so hot. You drive me right out of my mind, my sweet slave." And that's when I realized that he had come, too, and I felt ridiculously pleased that I had done this to him. Me, Fox, neophyte slave and bedwarmer, had driven my master clear over the edge, thank you very much. I felt the grin on my face and did nothing to hide it, even if I was disappointed that we hadn't even gotten to the bed or the main event before it was all over.

Walter dropped a kiss on my lips, then released me as he nudged me toward the bed. He picked up a piece of our discarded clothing and cleaned us briefly, then crawled up onto the bed. "I hope you got plenty of sleep over the past few nights, Fox, because I intend to keep you otherwise occupied all night."

I laughed as I sent up a silent thank you to all the Gods. "I think I can manage to stay awake, Master." I moved into his arms willingly, eagerly kissing every inch of skin I could reach, and he laughed.

"Slowly, my sweet slave."

"I don't think I can wait, Master," I murmured, replacing the kisses with nips. "I want to belong to you completely. I want to know what it's like to feel you inside me, and I want to come in your arms."

I could feel the tightening of his muscles. "Gods, Fox," he growled and pushed me flat. His mouth devoured mine and I surrendered to it completely. Whatever he wanted, however he wanted it. His mouth moved down to my neck and I could feel the marks that he left as his teeth danced over my collarbone. His mouth moved lower, teasing at first one nipple and then the other and I clutched at his head as I arched up against his mouth.

There was a puff of cool air across one sensitive nipple and a soft laugh. "Like that, do you?"

"Gods, yes!"

His mouth moved lower, licking and nipping at the skin on my belly, moving across the smooth and intensely sensitive skin of my groin. I was nearly sobbing by now, once again hot and hard and aching for relief. His tongue flickered at the head of my cock and I could feel the stars flickering behind my eyes before, abruptly, one hand pulled down on my balls and the other hand squeezed the base of my cock. I gasped and swore, frustrated at having my climax halted.

"I don't want to end this too soon, and I promise it will be even better for the waiting."

His tongue moved back over my cock, bathing it from base to head, and I groaned and tried to shift my body to bring his mouth where I wanted it. He pinned my hips with my hands, murmuring for me to be still, and I groaned again but tried to obey. Then, abruptly, his mouth engulfed my cock completely and I would have come off the bed completely if he hadn't been holding me down. I know that I was saying something but my brain seemed to have disengaged itself from my mouth so I couldn't tell if I was talking sense or simply babbling. Whatever it was, it seemed to encourage Lord Walter as he suddenly took my cock even deeper and then he was sucking it hard, and I erupted down his throat with a scream. And his mouth was milking me dry and it was so good, better than anything I had ever felt, and he hadn't even taken me yet. I sagged down bonelessly on the bed and wondered if I would survive the night.

 

Walter

Fox lay gasping and dazed on the bed after shrieking like a damn whistle in my ear before shooting straight down my throat. I had taken it all, milking him till he had nothing left and was boneless as a kitten; I hadn't intended to let him come this soon but the sounds that he had been making as I licked and sucked his cock had gone straight to my head. And, I thought practically, it was better for him to be as relaxed as possible before being penetrated. I shifted upward and moved the little pot of fragrant oil from the table onto the bed.

He was still half-dazed as I pushed his knees back against his chest so that I could access him completely but, as I circled a lubricated finger around the outside of his hole, I could see him blink and try to reconnect. "Hush, it's all right," I murmured, leaning down to kiss him. He opened his mouth to me readily and I broached him with one finger at the same time, absorbing his involuntary groan with my mouth. I nibbled at his mouth, coaxing his tongue to follow mine back. My finger slid deeper inside, past the muscle that was still slightly relaxed from his last orgasm, and then I slid another finger inside. Before long, he was rocking against my fingers while his mouth ravaged mine and I knew that he was as ready as I could make him.

I shifted between his knees and lubricated my cock, then shifted his legs up onto my shoulders before pressing against his opening. He bit back a moan and his hands twisted in the covers but I moved slowly and steadily inside, pausing to give him a few minutes to adjust to the fullness before sliding further inside. At last I was fully sheathed inside him. I leaned down to kiss him gently, refocusing his attention on me and, after a moment, he responded to my kisses. Unable to hold still any longer, I slowly withdrew and slid back in, and I heard the low moan of pleasure.

"Beautiful," I murmured against his ear as I slowly fucked him. "So hot and tight."

"Gods!" he gasped. "So good - didn't know it could be so good - "

I kissed him again. "I'll always make it good for you, my sweet cub."

"Want to move - need to - " he panted, trying to move to meet my thrusts.

"Easy, sweet. Slow and easy this first time. Plenty of time for rough and hard once you're accustomed to it." I increased my thrusting, still keeping it gentle and thorough but with a little more speed, and he rocked against me. His cock was pinned between our bodies and I could feel that he was getting closer. So was I - it had been too long since I had done this for me to make it last any longer - but I was determined to make him come first. I pushed myself up a little so that I could grasp his cock and I stroked it twice before he gasped and came hard in my hand. As he came, his ass muscles clenched hard and it was all over for me as well. I thrust once, twice, inside that hot, tight body and then I was coming harder than I could ever remember in my life.

I collapsed, just retaining enough presence of mind to support my body on my elbows, and looked down at the face of my bed-partner, then grinned to realize that he was out cold. I gently eased myself out of his body, fetched a damp cloth to wipe us down, then settled back into bed and pulled him into my arms to wait for him to come back.

He moaned slightly and his eyes blinked open slowly. "Am I dead?"

I laughed softly. "No, you're very much alive."

"What happened?"

"You fainted. It's not uncommon to pass out during intense sex."

"Intense? I felt like the top of my head exploded."

I laughed again. "Thank you for the compliment. I tried to do my best."

He shifted up on top of me, covering me like a blanket, and looked down into my face. "It was incredible. I never knew - "

I captured his mouth for a brief kiss. "I know."

"And now I belong to you completely." There was intense satisfaction in that voice and I found my throat was tight with emotion.

"Yes. I have claimed you, and you are mine forever."

He laid his head down on my chest and said, drowsily, "I like the sound of that."

"So do I, Fox," I murmured. "So do I."


	2. Part 2 - Taming

Chapter One

Walter

 

I was besotted.

I had thought my hunger for him would diminish now that I had claimed him, had made him mine. It always had before this. No matter how beautiful the body, how willing the embrace, after time it would become commonplace and my appetite would disappear. But not with Fox. He was like the Syrup of Poppies - the more I tasted him, the more I craved him. He flowed through my blood and filled every breath I took. He became as necessary to me as food or drink. And, moreover, I was rapidly becoming content to have it so.

I had an inkling that I was in trouble that first morning when I awakened to a sense of satiation greater than I had ever known, not only in body but in my heart and soul as well.

I could not remember ever feeling this - this complete in my life. 

Fox lay sprawled on the bed with the abandon of the young, half on my chest and half spread across the remaining space of the bed. Opening my eyes, I could see his face clearly in the early morning light and I smiled. His eyes were smudged with fatigue where his long lashes brushed his cheeks and there was a half-smile on his swollen lips that did my ego good to see. I reached out to caress his head, running my fingers through the shaggy, soft hair. His short, spiky scholar's haircut had grown out unevenly while he was imprisoned, the bangs now falling into his eyes. That needed to be trimmed, I thought, but I would let the back grow out, just for the pleasure of running my fingers through it. Light glinted on the slave earring and I studied the dull gleam of the base metal with a frown. I would replace that with silver, I thought, or gold. I pictured the effect of a gemstone and thought in amusement that I had never before desired to bedeck a lover. 

Sleepy eyes blinked open at the sound of my chuckle and a smile curved that tempting mouth. "That's a merry sound for such an early morning, Master."

"And why not?" I let my hand move down to stroke sleek skin. "It is a beautiful morning and I awakened to the equally beautiful sight of my own fox cub's sleeping face."

He flushed, embarrassed but pleased. "You think I'm beautiful, Master?"

"I do, and I hardly imagine that I'm the only one." I frowned at that thought and captured his chin so that his eyes met mine. "I don't mind if others admire that beauty, but I shall be the only one to possess it. I do not share what is mine with others. Am I understood, Fox?"

Chameleon eyes that had turned smoky blue met mine. "I understand, Master. I would die rather than let anyone else touch me."

I pulled his head up to mine and kissed him. "A little drastic, perhaps, but I appreciate the sentiment. And I shall take great care of you, my treasure." A sudden thought came to mind. "Why is Sir John so anxious to get his hands on you? I thought his desires ran to more - exotic pleasures." There was a shudder in the body under my hands, and I pulled Fox up into my arms, seeking to reassure him. "What, Fox? Tell me."

"He first came to my father's house three years ago, just after my fifteenth birthday. He had business with my father - I never knew what it was, just that it involved the Court and it was very secret. The first time I felt his eyes upon me, a chill ran through me. There was something in his eyes, something evil. My sister and I usually stayed out of the way when my father had business at home. But one night my father - drank a little more than usual and passed out. I had to see Sir John out and he - " Fox flushed a little. "He - said things that I had never heard anyone say, told me what he wanted to do with me. After that I took care to make sure I was never around when he visited."

"Did you tell anyone what happened? Your parents? The priests? You know that the age of consent is sixteen - he had no business approaching you when you were so young without their consent."

Fox shook his head. "I was too afraid of what he would do." There was a shadow on his face that was not hard to interpret. "Perhaps it would have been better if I had let him - "

I tightened my hold on him. "Fox, what happened to your family had nothing to do with your refusal of Sir John's attentions. No matter how great your charms, I doubt that he would go to so much trouble just to possess you. There must be some other reason - you said that your father was involved in some secret involving the Court. Did others come to the house?"

"Not that I know about. Just Sir John."

Something about the whole situation made me uneasy. "Did you ever hear what they were talking about? Or is it possible that Sir John thought that you overheard them?"

I could see the look of comprehension in Fox's eyes. "You think that's why he wants to get his hands on me? To keep me from talking about something he thinks I saw or heard?"

"Or something you saw or heard that you don't remember or that you didn't think was important."

Fox's brow furrowed. "I can't think of anything."

"Don't try so hard - it will come to you. Just relax." I kissed him again and let my hand caress his smooth skin again. "And it just so happens that I know exactly how to relax you."

Fox returned my kiss eagerly, shifting in my arms so that his body lay atop mine, then he grinned down into my face. "But Master, I'm afraid I don't feel very relaxed right now."

"Brat." 

I rolled with him, pinning him underneath my body. I silenced his laughing reply with a kiss again, then moved down his body as my mouth and hands cataloged every inch, every response for future reference. He was gasping and begging for more, but I refused to be hurried. I thought of the possibilities before me; I had already taken him twice that night and had no intention of doing so a third time even if I had been capable. I noticed with amusement that Fox was not having any difficulty in that regard and fleetingly envied the physical resources of youth. But, as they say, age and cunning will overcome youth and skill, and I was not above using every bit of cunning I possessed to bind this vibrant creature even more firmly to me and my bed.

By the time I finally relented and took him into my mouth, he was nearly weeping in his need and surged desperately upward, seeking satisfaction. I released him, sitting back up as he swore in frustration, then bent back down to continue. Again, he moved and again I backed off, my eyes catching his and conveying the message that I would only continue if he remained still. I could see him gritting his teeth and, for the third time, slid my mouth down his hard cock. This time he remained still although I could see him sweating with the effort. I smiled and brought my hand up to caress his nipples, still highly sensitive from the night's love-play, felt the instinctive bucking quelled. So beautiful, I thought, and so eager to learn, so ready to please. It would be a long time, indeed, before I tired of this one.

I increased the speed of my attentions, moving my hands to hold his hips down, encouraging him to let go fully. And it wasn't long before he was coming, only a small amount to be sure after so many previous climaxes, but intense nonetheless, giving in to his passion with an abandon that I found refreshing and wholly intoxicating.

Oh yes, I was besotted. And I didn't care who knew.

 

Fox

He is going to kill me if he keeps on like this, was the first vaguely coherent thought that crossed my mind as I came back to reality and found myself nestled against a warm, hard body. And I don't think I'll mind in the least. I felt a laugh bubbling up inside me and vainly tried to repress it but I could see that he felt the shaking of my body and heard the snicker I couldn't control.

"And that is a merry sound, too, my brat."

I leaned my head back to grin up at him. "I can't help it, Master. I've never felt this happy before."

I saw a strange expression come over his face, half-sorrowful and half-pleased, and the tip of a finger traced my cheek with infinite gentleness. "Nor have I, my cub." There was a tapping at the door and he sighed. "Well, I knew that it was too good to last. That'll be Maggie with our breakfast - you'd better let her in."

I hopped out of bed, wincing a little at the protest from parts of my body unaccustomed to the previous night's activities and heard another low chuckle from my master.

Opening the door, I found both Maggie and William present and stood back so that they could enter the room. Maggie's eyes quickly flickered over me, as if assessing me for damage, and I flushed but resolutely ignored any other sign of embarrassment at my nudity as I fetched my master's robe and helped him put it on. He settled into his chair in front of the fire, listening attentively as William ran over the items of business for the day although I could sense that most of his attention was on me as I prepared a plate of his favorites from the lavish tray. He accepted the plate from me, running a caressing hand over my head as he did so.

"Thank you, my Fox. And I expect you to do justice to your own breakfast this morning - you'll need to keep your strength up."

I flushed at the implied statement but couldn't help but be pleased at the attention. "Yes, Master. Thank you."

William cleared his throat. "Any instructions for the day?"

Lord Walter appeared to consider this. "I am feeling rather indulgent today. How would you like to spend this day, my Fox?"

I looked up at him, startled, and saw a wicked twinkle in his eyes. Glancing briefly at Maggie and William, I saw that they were likewise stunned. "What - whatever my master wishes is likewise my desire."

"Very prettily said, my sweet slave, but I prefer to hear the truth. Come - there must be something you would like to do in particular."

I couldn't think clearly. I was exhausted from lack of sleep, my brain had gone completely, and everyone was staring at me. Suddenly it was all too much. I was trapped, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move; I was once again in the dungeon longing desperately for a sight of blue sky -

"I would like to go out - outside the castle," I blurted out. "Walk, run, ride - I don't care. I just need to be - out."

A gentling hand on my head and a soft voice brought me back to myself. "Then that is what we shall do, my cub. William, I shall attend to business matters this morning. Have my personal guard and our horses ready to go out at midday - Maggie, a picnic lunch to take with us, if you will." The hand carded through my hair, soothing me. "And tonight, perhaps an evening in the library?"

"You are very kind, Master," I murmured, ducking my head to hide my embarrassment at my overreaction.

"But first, I think, a bath."

Still a trifle unnerved, forgetting for a moment the presence of the two servants, I said teasingly, "You have an unnatural fondness for bathing, my master." The instant the words left my mouth, I felt appalled at my own boldness and waited for the blow that would punish my impudence.

Instead I heard that soft laughter. "Perhaps I do at that. My father used to say the same about my mother. She was raised in the Temple and never got out of the habit of bathing daily. Maggie, I believe that we are done with breakfast, and you can see that young Fox has suffered no serious harm at my hands. William, I will join you in my study when I have finished bathing and dressing."

Once the door had closed behind them, I felt an insistent tug on my hair and let Lord Walter pull me up and into his lap. His hand captured my chin, forcing my eyes up to meet his.

"You are an impudent rascal, my Fox, and by rights I should teach you to mind your tongue with the flat of my hand."

I shivered at the stern note in his voice. "Yes, Master."

"Do not push my indulgence beyond its limit. As fond as I am of your sharp mind and ready wit, I will not be teased or embarrassed before others. Save that charming impertinence for the times that we are alone, like now." His mouth descending on mine, ravishing it thoroughly and reminding me in no uncertain terms that he was master here and that I was his slave and bedmate, and not his consort and equal. "Am I understood?"

My lips were bruised from the kiss, my body shaking from arousal generated by his touch, my eyes burned from the tears they wanted to shed, and my heart felt like it would break. "Yes, Master," I whispered.

I would never again forget that, although a slave may certainly fall in love with his master, the master would never, ever, fall in love with his slave.

 

Chapter Two

Walter

I began to regret my harsh words when I saw the light in his beautiful eyes die. And yet, what else could I have done? Bad enough that I was besotted with the boy, bad enough that my household staff knew my weakness, but if I allowed this slave boy to treat me with impudent familiarity - like a lover - then I would have lost complete control. I might as well sit in the corner and drool into my porridge.

And so instead of reassuring him, I kissed him again, briefly, and pushed him off my lap. "Bath. The Gods know that we could both use one."

Fox was quiet but efficient as he bathed and dressed me. I found myself missing his usual chatter and inquired about his studies, hoping to spark that enthusiasm, but he only smiled faintly and quietly replied that he hadn't had much time lately. I was inclined to credit his unusual behavior to nothing more than a sulk due to my reprimand but he betrayed none of the usual signs. And, after the years spent with my late wife, I was very knowledgeable of the signs of sulking and bad temper. I gave up the attempt, deciding that the boy was merely tired and could use a morning for reflection, so I dismissed him until lunch and went down to my office to take care of business.

For the better part of two hours, I reviewed the messages that had come in over the past few days. William and I discussed the upcoming harvest, estimating the size and the amounts to be expected from the various farms. I made plans for clearing and distribution of the current contents of the granaries, trying to anticipate where shortages might be expected. Then there were the visits to the various castellans owing fealty to me to be planned, and all the trivial matters that made up our daily lives to be handled.

I was surprised when, at mid-morning, Maggie entered bearing a tray which she set before me. "What's this?"

"I thought you could use a little something to eat. You barely touched your breakfast."

I looked at Maggie in amusement, having judged by the appearance of a plate of gingerbread that I had been forgiven for my sins. Maggie’s gingerbread had been a favorite of mine from childhood. "Do I appear likely to fade to a shadow for lack of a meal?"

"No, but it won't hurt for you to get a little more meat on those bones."

I snorted at that, picking up a large square of gingerbread. It was still warm from the oven and I bit into it with great relish. "If you want to coddle someone, I advise you to direct your attention to Fox. The boy could use some fattening up. I expect he's in the library."

"I already took him some, and he is not in the library."

I frowned, hoping that he was not sulking in my bedchamber or up to some kind of mischief. "Where is he, then?"

"In the armory, putting your armor to rights."

"Putting my - why in hell is he doing that? Scully usually gets one of the men for that task."

"Seems to think that he's responsible for it."

I sat back in my chair, rubbing my neck as I thought over this situation. Curiously, I asked, "Does he know what he's doing? The boy hasn't had any military training."

"Scully showed him what to do. When I left, he had finished sponging and brushing the fabric and was checking each plate individually to make sure none of them were loose.

For some reason," she added tartly, "he seems determined that you should be as safe as possible."

Well, there didn't seem to be anything else to say on that matter, so I picked up another piece of gingerbread before Maggie could come to the decision that I was unworthy of her culinary skills. Also, it gave me a good excuse to swallow the sudden lump in my throat.

"William, where did we put the small jewel box?"

"Lady Sharon's jewelry, my lord?"

"No, the box with my mother's jewelry."

"In the strong room, my lord. Shall I fetch it?" I nodded my assent and he left.

Maggie looked at me, frowning. "And what would you be wanting with your mother's jewels? You're not selling them?"

"No. Although I expect I should dispose of Lady Sharon's when I go to town next." The Gods knew that I didn't want to see those again. Every gaudy piece had a memory associated with them, an argument or a bitter accusation flung at me, failings of mine that had to be redeemed with a trinket before peace was restored in the house. After our years together, the worth of the contents of that box nearly rivaled the Kingdom treasury.

William handed me the small box containing my mother’s jewelry and I could see him exchanging a curious look with his wife. I unlocked it and sifted through the contents, smiling as I touched each piece and remembered my mother wearing them. For all that she was a King's Consort, she had remarkably little taste for show and had preferred the simpler ornaments. I extracted a simple hoop earring of braided gold and held it up to the light.

"Yes, this will do nicely. You may put away the box, William."

"It's for the boy, then," Maggie said softly.

I could feel myself flushing under her sharp eyes. "I don't want to risk an infection from the base metals in those cheap slave earrings. It would be tiresome to have his looks marred."

"Of course," Maggie said solemnly, then smiled. "I'd best be getting back to the kitchen - this castle doesn't run itself." She paused in the doorway. "Oh, and I'll make sure to pack some gingerbread with your picnic lunch."

Well, I was certainly back in Maggie's good graces I thought as I chuckled. "You're too good to me, Maggie. I don't deserve you."

"Aye, that's the truth," she said tartly, "but at least you realize your good fortune."

That I did, and my good fortune appeared to be growing with each passing day. She left me to contemplate one gold earring, cradled in my palm.

 

Fox

Dismissed from my master's service for the morning, I cast a longing look at the library but I had a task that I had left unfinished from the previous day. I crossed the courtyard and entered the armory in search of Captain Scully, finding her in her office staring at a scroll with a frown. I tapped on the door.

"Captain Scully? I'm sorry to bother you - "

She smiled, pushing the scroll away with a smile. "Just the thrice-damned paperwork that's an unfortunate part of the job. Payroll, accounts, lost and damaged equipment - "

She sighed. "So, what can I do for you, Milord Fox?"

"Lord Walter's armor that I brought here the other night - you told me that you'd show me how to take care of it."

Scully nodded and rose, leading the way into the main part of the armory. She lifted the heavy garment off the dummy and laid it on a table, unbuckling the sides so it would lay flat.

"How familiar are you with armor?" she asked as she worked.

"Not at all," I admitted. "My father was a Clerk, and I was to be one, too. I never had any military training."

She gave me a curious look. "No matter. I'll tell you what you need to know. Normally, a man in Lord Walter's position would have a squire to look after his armor in return for training, but his Lordship isn't a knight himself so - "

"Why not?"

"Why not what?"

"Why isn't he a knight? He's the king's brother, son of a king. He was the Lord Protector of the Realm."

"A knight has to be sanctified by the High Priest," Captain Scully said, her eyes meeting mine. "The Priests would not do that unless Lord Walter publicly denounced his mother and did penance for her sins. He refused. He's too powerful for them to declare him Outcast but, believe me, there is no love lost between Lord Walter and the High Priest."

"It's not fair to punish him for his parents' sins," I said, brooding on this slight to my master, and I heard a chuckle. I looked up in surprise at Scully. "What?"

"You are a slave, Milord Fox, because of your own father's mistakes, but I believe you are more indignant for Lord Walter's wrongs than for your own."

I flushed, unwilling to admit to my inexplicable feelings for the man that owned me, body and soul. "You keep calling me 'Milord Fox'. I'm not a lord; I'm just a slave. You should call me Fox."

Scully tilted her head and looked at me with a faint smile on her face. "I don't know - it somehow doesn't feel right to call you 'Fox'. So I shall continue to call you 'Milord', whether you like it or not."

"Well, I can't stop you," I said with a sigh. "So that's why there's no priest in the castle? How do the people living here feel about that?"

Scully shrugged. "There's a priest in town. Are you religious?"

"Not particularly - I've seen too much hypocrisy among those that are supposed to be holy. Are you?"

"In a way. I belong to the Temple of Artemis."

I nodded. The followers of Artemis were women, dedicated to the art of warfare and the science of healing, and the Temple was outside the religious mainstream.

"So tell me, what exactly does a squire do?" Seeing the puzzled look on her face, I said, "I'm the closest thing he's likely to get, so I should at least learn how to take care of his armor properly. I take it that this thing is pretty important, right?"

"This thing is what can save his life in battle, and it cost 10 times what he paid for you at the least." Scully said dryly. "The cloth on the inside needs to be carefully sponged and brushed to prevent chaffing which could hamper movement in battle. Each of these pieces of metal on the outside has been individually riveted to the leather, and they must be checked individually to make sure that they are not damaged or loose. One well-place arrow combined with one loose plate could be fatal."

I suddenly felt dizzy at the thought of Lord Walter being killed and felt Scully grab my arm.

"Are you all right? You look ill."

"I'll be fine," I said as the dizziness receded, and suddenly I was grimly determined to ensure my protector's safety. "Tell me what to do."

An hour or three hours later - I couldn't be sure of how long I had been sitting here - I heard my name being called. "Hmm?"

"By the Gods, Fox, I was starting to wonder if you had gone deaf. What are you doing, child?"

Maggie set down a plate and a glass and peered at the garment draped across my lap as I sat cross-legged on the table. "What - that's Lord Walter's armor. What are you doing with that, lad?"

I stopped, shaking out tired fingers. "Checking the riveted plates. Does this part look loose to you?"

Maggie peered at the section I indicated and tugged a little. "No, I think it's fine."

I looked at the coat of plates critically again. "Well, it could really do with being taken apart, thoroughly cleaned, and put back together again but I'm afraid that's beyond me."

"Fox, why on earth are you doing this? Scully usually has one of the men take care of it."

"It's my responsibility to take care of my master. What does it matter to them if he gets hurt or killed - he's merely the man that pays their wages. I, on the other hand, have a vested interest in keeping him alive. I lo- " I broke off, flushing at what I had been about to say. "There are worse masters out there - I could be a lot less lucky if I had to go on the sales block again."

"Fox," she said gently. Startled, I looked up into her kind and sympathetic face and realized that she had seen what I felt. I flushed, embarrassed, and was grateful when she changed the subject. "I brought you something to nibble on till lunch," she said briskly, turning my attention to the plate of gingerbread and glass of milk. "The Gods know that you don't eat enough to keep a bird alive, much less a growing lad like yourself."

"Thanks, Maggie."

"You're welcome, Fox." Maggie's hand covered mine and squeezed it. "It will all work out in the end, lad," she said softly. "You'll see. Have faith."

Faith? I lost that long ago, when my world had been ripped apart. But trust - maybe, just maybe, there was enough trust left inside me.

 

Chapter Three

Fox

Captain Scully wasn't pleased when Lord Walter announced he wouldn’t be taking his escort along on the picnic but he looked at her with a smile in those warm brown eyes.

"Why, Scully, do you think I am in danger from one slave boy? And an unarmed one at that?"

Scully gave me a look that I couldn't interpret and then looked back at Lord Walter. "I expect that you couldn't be in safer company, my lord."

"Then you think that I am unable to protect the two of us? Perhaps, at my advanced age, I should surrender my sword and sit by the fire."

Scully glared at him and I hid a smile. "You won't get around me like that, Lord Walter. I'm responsible for your safety. I will take only your personal bodyguard and we will ensure your privacy - but we are going with you."

Their eyes met for a long moment and then Lord Walter sighed. "Very well, Captain."

We rode out at a brisk pace, Captain Scully leading the way with two soldiers following behind us. I threw back my head and breathed deeply, nearly dizzy from the intoxicating scents of grass and sunlight and flowers. It had been long, so long, since I had been able to take the time to just enjoy the world around me.

As a child, I had grown up in the confines of Town with its narrow, dirty streets and tiny backyard gardens, and it was not until I attended University that I realized the full wonder of nature. The University, situated on its own lands across the river from the city, had extensive grounds and I had taken great delight in exploring them. Often times, when faced with a tough exam or while trying to work out a problem, I had taken to walking through the woods and gardens, sometimes for hours at a time. In fact, I had become something of a joke among my fellows with my penchant for long walks over the University's grounds, but there was something about the exercise outdoors that cleared my head.

I closed my eyes and breathed again, deeply, turning my face towards the warmth of the sun. The light breeze whipped through my hair, teased my shirt, and caressed my skin like a lover. I suddenly felt as weightless and free as a bird on the wing.

A soft chuckle caught my ear and I opened my eyes. Turning my head, I caught Lord Walter watching me curiously and blushed, feeling a little silly, but he smiled.

"You reminded me of my favorite falcon for a moment," he said with a smile.

I looked at him, my eyes speculative. "And is it your intent to tame me to your fist, my lord?"

I had spoken in jest but his eyes regarded me seriously. "I don't know if there is anyone alive who could do that."

I looked away from those intent eyes, flushing again. "You own me."

"It's not the same thing. And I think that the only one to tame you will be the one who wins your heart."

I glanced back at him. There was a slightly sad look on his face and I wanted to ease his sadness. I wanted to tell him that my heart was almost completely his already, but this morning's lesson was still fresh in my mind. It wasn't my love that he wanted; it was my body. And that was what causing my distress — I wanted to give him not only my body but all that I was.

"So where are we going, Master?" I asked quietly, steering my thoughts into other channels.

"A quiet glen situated by a little pool not far from here. We can enjoy our lunch there in peace."

I grinned. "You think Captain Scully will let you out of her sight?"

"She had better, or I won't be responsible for the consequences."

The tone was light but there was a hidden meaning in those words and I found myself flushing as my treacherous body responded to his teasing. What a slut I am, I thought despairingly. The man has only to snap his fingers and I am spreading myself for him. Of course, a part of my mind that could still remain reasonable said, the man owns me and will have my body no matter what I want. Why shouldn't I enjoy it as well? And wasn't it in my best interest to keep him happy and satisfied? Otherwise I would be getting on friendlier terms with the castle's soldiers than I would like.

The problem wasn’t with Lord Walter. He knew what he wanted - a warm, comely body in his bed — and had never claimed otherwise. The problem was with me. With each passing day, I was falling more and more in love with the man who owned me. And moving further away from the person I had been only two short months ago. In another two months, I thought bitterly, there would be nothing left of the University student. There would only be Fox, the slave, willing to do anything for the smile and touch of my master. In another year, I wouldn’t even remember what it had felt like to be free, to be able to go where I willed and love whom I chose. In another three years, there would be nothing of the man who had dreamed of traveling the world, finding the answers to a hundred mysteries awaiting me. In seven years, when I was finally free, I wouldn’t even be able to take care of myself. I wondered what would happen to me then — I would be too old to go back to the University, too unskilled at anything other than pleasuring a man. Drearily, I imagined that I would become one of those around the fringes of society, a whore or — if I was lucky — someone’s kept man until I lost my ability to please.

Until I grew old, or sick, or ugly -

My thoughts were rapidly destroying my good mood and worrying about future troubles was useless. With a sigh, I gave up my inner struggle and just settled back to enjoy the beautiful day.

 

Walter

We arrived at the entrance to the clearing and dismounted, leaving the horses to graze and the soldiers to eat their lunch. Captain Scully and Fox carried the picnic basket and blanket down the pathway, Fox setting up while Scully checked the place over. Satisfied, Scully joined her men and left us alone.

Despite my teasing remarks to Fox, I didn't bring him here to seduce him. My sole reason for coming here had been an instinctual response to the panic in his voice, a certainty that he needed this, needed to get away from everything and everyone for awhile. I was also aware that he was uncomfortable with me, that somehow I had mis-stepped this morning and that I needed to put it right. Which was difficult to do when Fox wouldn't look at me or say anything but "Yes, Master" or "No, Master" and when he barely touched his food and that only in response to a growl from me. The boy was clearly unhappy about something and I hadn't the slightest idea what it could be or how to break through the wall of reserve he had raised around himself.

I looked over at Fox, lying stretched out on the blanket with his arm over his eyes. I looked over at the pool of water and a thought occurred to me.

"Fox, let's take a swim."

Fox lowered his arm and looked at me, puzzled. "Sir?"

"Swim? You do know how to swim?"

He grinned, and I was amazed at how relieved I was to see that smile. "Like a fish." He stood up and stripped, then ran down the bank and plunged into the water. A moment later, he burst to the surface, gasping for breath. "Shit! It's cold! You didn't tell me that."

I laughed. "You didn't ask."

I began removing my own clothes then remembered the small earring I had tucked into my pouch earlier. I pulled it out, debating, then stripped off the rest of my clothes and walked down to the pool.

Fox was frisking about in the water, swimming with strong, sure strokes towards the far end of the pool before turning and heading back. He emerged from the water just in front of me, shaking water onto me like a puppy and I laughingly protested.

"Brat!" I reached out and pulled him towards me. "Stand still a moment."

He obeyed, puzzled as I removed the simple slave earring and tossed it away. I saw his eyes widen as he caught a glimpse of the gold in my hand but he didn't make a sound as I inserted the gold loop into the hole in his right earlobe. I studied the effect of gold against his skin and nodded.

"Much better."

A tentative hand came up to touch the loop and he looked at me, puzzled. Good, I thought to myself, keep him a little off-balance, get under his defenses. With that in mind, I placed my hand in the middle of chest and pushed.

Fox emerged sputtering from the water after the unexpected dunking. "You - that wasn't fair!" He launched himself at me, laughing, knocking me off my feet. We wrestled playfully, each of us trying to best the other, Fox giving as good as he got. I might have been more muscular but he was quicker and my hands slid off his water-slick skin. I caught him once, tickling him until he squirmed away, and he dunked me once by pulling my feet out from under me, so the score was just about even.

It was the chill of the water that finally drove us out to collapse on the blanket in the warmth of the afternoon sun.

 

Fox

We lay on the blanket, soaking up the warmth of the sun as it drove away the chill of our naked bodies. I lay on my back and closed my eyes, listening to the sounds of the woods around me, aware that Lord Walter had rolled over on his side and was watching me. His hand stroked my skin soothingly as we lay there, his voice soft and hypnotic.

"Before the leaves turn, we'll have to go up the mountain so you can get a good look at Beauforte."

I yawned sleepily. "What's a beauforte?"

Lord Walter looked at me in amusement. "The castle is Beauforte. Didn't you know?"

I shrugged. "No one told me, and I never asked. It wouldn't have made a difference, would it? A slave goes where his master bids," I said reasonably. "But it's a nice name. Beautiful fort."

"My mother named it. She loved this place." Lord Walter rolled closer and began nuzzling at my neck. "I'll take you hawking, too. Have you ever been?"

"Beyond my touch. My family were merely clerks."

"You'll like it." His mouth worked its way down my body, and I found myself responding automatically. Inexplicably, I felt a brief spark of resentment that he knew just how to push me, how to make me perform for him. "And soon there will be the harvest festival - I think you'll enjoy that. There's a fair with food and games and merchants."

"Sounds like fun," I said, a little breathlessly, as his fingers played with my nipples.

"It is. And, with a good harvest, there'll be no need for a Corn King." Brown eyes twinkled at me. "Although I believe you're safe from that fate."

I frowned, realizing he was teasing me with a hidden meaning. "What's a corn king?"

"An old ritual practiced among those that follow the Old Ways," Lord Walter said blandly. "It is said that a bad harvest is a sign of anger from the gods and a young, virile, virginal male is sacrificed to appease them."

I laughed and captured his palm, kissing it. "After the past night, I think I can safely say that there is no hint of virgin left on me."

He smiled back and caressed my face. "The sacrifices I must make to ensure your safety, my cub."

I pushed myself up, moving closer to him, watching the brown of his eyes deepen to black with passion. "Then I must ensure that you are amply rewarded, my protector." I kissed him, pulling him down on top of me, and wrapped my legs around his waist to draw him closer.

 

Walter

"Are there many practitioners of the Old Religion here?"

I must admit to surprise at that question. It is not the first thing one expects to hear after catching one's breath from mind-blowing sex. However, I was rapidly coming to realize that Fox was no ordinary young man. Moreover, it was this odd quirk to him that made him even more endearing. Still, I couldn't help chuckling and I reached over to pinch a firm ass.

"Ouch!" he protested as he sat up, rubbing the spot. "What was that for?"

"Your choice in post-coital conversation, my brat."

"Oh." He crawled up the blanket, slowly and sensuously, his eyes locking on mine, and I found I couldn't look away. Hell, I could barely breathe. He was smoldering sensuality, sheer male animal. Warm lips pressed a trail of kisses from my stomach to my lips, barely touching the surface of my skin. "Have I ever told you, Master," he purred against my lips, "how grateful I am that you found me that day in the market?" His lips began back down my body, his eyes never leaving mine. "Allow me to show you how grateful."

Suddenly, I heard the echo of the last whore I had taken to my bed, the practiced tones of one knowing what to say to please the customer and earn his fee. It was like a bucket of cold water dumping over me and I reached out to grab Fox by the hair, pulling his head away from my body.

"Ow!" he complained in his normal voice, rubbing his head. "Now what did I say?"

I couldn't look at him, could hardly tell him that I was suddenly, inexplicably jealous. That I had pictured him responding to other men as he had to me, using practiced skills to pleasure them, making the same noises for them as he did for me. Hot rage was suddenly replaced with cold again, picturing Fox alone in the world and forced to sell his body, knowing that I had brought him to this end, had turned him into a pleasure slave. I pulled him back down into my arms, holding him tightly to reassure myself and banish these ghosts. It would not happen, I told myself fiercely. He was mine for seven years and a lot could happen during that time. And even if he chose not to remain with me in the end, I would make sure that he was well taken care of for the rest of his life.

"Nothing," I growled in response to his question. "But I am too tired to play your games, cub."

He sighed and I could almost feel the mental shrug. "Sorry, Master."

"Never mind. And, in answer to your earlier question, there have always been practitioners in this area - there's some kind of sacred place nearby."

"Really?" I could almost feel Fox perk up at this and sighed again. "I've heard about some of the practices but there's very little in the University library on the subject, most of the traditions being oral. Is there anyone in the village who practices? Maybe I could talk to some people and go to this sacred place and - "

I silenced him with my hand over his mouth. "I warn you now, Fox - you leave the castle without permission and without a guard, and I'll take my strap to you till you can't sit down. Am I understood?"

A sulky voice replied, "Yes, Master."

"I'm serious, Fox. You don't know this area and there are lots of dangers. On the other hand," I added, figuring that a little bribery couldn't hurt, "if you behave, I'll have Scully take you into town when she has a free day and introduce you to the local healer, her blood-sister from the Temple. She's a Wise Woman as well and can tell you everything you need to know - she knows those who practice the Old Ways."

Fox sighed. "All right. I'll behave."

"Good." I sat up, stretching. "Now, as much as I like your current attire, you must get dressed. We need to return to the castle. Tomorrow will be a busy day."

 

Chapter Four

Fox

Two weeks passed and, despite my impatience, I managed to stay out of trouble. Lord Walter kept me busy during the day as the harvested crops began to pour into the castle to be sorted into three lots: that which went on to the King, that which remained in the Castle, and that which went into the storage granaries against future need. And, of course, the grains already stored there from last harvest had to be removed, checked for mold or other damage, and then distributed as needed to parts of the land that had not had as bountiful a harvest. I was impressed with Lord Walter's care for his people: while he expected a full tally from those whose harvest had been good - and received it with very little grumbling - he was also generous towards those whose fortunes had not been as good through no fault of their own. As for those whose own idleness or mismanagement had caused their misfortune, he reduced them to quivering and repentance with a thorough tongue-lashing and - in a severe case - turned a father out of his place and gave title to his eldest son.

Following these kind of these incidences, everyone was careful to stay out of his way until he recovered his temper. Everyone except me, of course, and I had no real choice in the matter as Lord Walter ordered my almost constant attendance. I quickly learned to judge his moods and adjust my behavior accordingly and even, on occasion, to coax him back into good humor. The castle staff was quick to observe this and took shameless advantage of the situation, leaving me to break any bad news and deal with the consequences. As a result, I soon became more of an Assistant to his lordship than his bedslave, at least in the eyes of the rest of the household. But in his eyes I knew that I was nothing more than a slave - a highly desired one, but a slave nonetheless.

That I was highly desired I had no doubt. There was a certain look that came into Lord Walter's eyes during the day that, if I happened to catch it, could make me blush from the intensity while all the remaining blood in my body rushed southward with painful intensity. Each night was a lesson in the art of lovemaking from one whom was obviously a master. Limited though my experience might have been, I still had a healthy imagination and, moreover, had spent two years going through the University's collection of erotica. But imagination and reading had left me totally unprepared for reality at the hands of Lord Walter, and I had certainly never imagined that anything could feel this good.

He was a generous lover, more generous than any slave had the right to expect, ensuring that my satisfaction was at least as great as his own. And I never knew what to expect each night. It might be exquisitely tender lovemaking built up with word upon kiss upon touch until my whole body tingled with anticipation and dissolved upon completion. Or an impetuous and explosive coupling that was like being caught outside in a thunderstorm - all heat and flash and fire until we exploded into a million pieces. Or relaxed and sleepy, lying peacefully content in the joining as he slowly rocked us towards a gentle release.

Tonight he was in an especially good mood. The first reports of the harvest had been tallied and were better than expected. The woodsmen had been reading the weather signs and predicted that the coming winter would be a mild one. The land was at peace and the people were content. Lord Walter had ordered a portion of wine for all at dinner and had once again called me from my place standing behind him to set me in the chair beside him and feed me from his own plate.

We made an early night of it and he pounced on me when we reached his room. Tossing me onto the bed, he tickled me mercilessly until I begged for quarter, then made love to me with a surety of touch that took my breath away and dropped me into unconsciousness. And it was bliss itself to come back from oblivion to find myself wrapped in his arms with gentle kisses being liberally bestowed all over my face. I sighed and shifted deeper into his arms, utterly content with the moment. His hand moved soothingly, caressing my back, skimming the cheeks of the ass he had so recently possessed.

"So smooth and cool," he murmured softly. "You've been very good over this past week, my Fox. I haven't had to punish you at all. You deserve a reward."

I lifted my head, looking into his face to judge the seriousness of his words. "You said that if I was good you would have Captain Scully introduce me to the Wise Woman in the village."

He sighed and smiled. "So I did. And I expect that there will be no peace until you get this out of your system. Very well - you can go visit the Healer tomorrow. I'll tell Scully in the morning."

I grinned and put my head back down with a contented sigh, kissing the firm flesh under my cheek. "Thank you. You're so good to me."

"That's because you're good for me," he said softly. "Fox - "

"Hmm?" I turned my head up to look at him when he didn't continue, and saw a peculiar expression on his face, half-longing and half-fear. "Master, what's wrong?"

He sighed. "Nothing. Go to sleep, Fox."

I sleepily nodded and snuggled back down, and was asleep in minutes.

When I awoke the next morning, the bed and the room was empty. It appeared that Lord Walter was getting an early start on the day. I got out of bed and cleaned up, then dressed and went downstairs in search of my master. Entering the study, I saw that Captain Scully was already there and Lord Walter was reading over a message with a frown.

Scully spared me a brief look. "My troop will be ready to leave when you are," she said to Lord Walter, leaving at his nod.

Walter looked up at me briefly and gestured for me to approach him. "Change of plans, Fox. My woodsmen report strangers on the northern borders - Scully and I need to go investigate. We'll be gone till late afternoon." He saw my face fall and stroked my cheek affectionately. "I promise I'll make it up to you and take you to town myself later this week. And while I'm gone I want you to work on your studies. You've been neglecting them sadly these past weeks."

What point was there to studying? I thought in irritation. It wasn't as if I was going to actually get my degree or use anything I learned. I swallowed my disappointment. "Yes, Master."

A short time later, the courtyard was filled with horses and armed men. Disappointed and dejected, I sat on the front steps and watched the troop mount up. Captain Scully paused to give Lt. Lamana last minute instructions.

"- the rest of the shipment will be in today. Lord Walter is expecting some special goods, so take your troop into the village to escort the wagons here."

"Yes, Captain."

My ears pricked up at the mention of the village and a plan formed in my head. I watched the troop ride out with Lord Walter and Captain Scully at its head, my heart racing at the risk I would be taking but unable to delay my need to know any longer.

Shortly before noon, I saw Lamana assembling his troop and put my plan in action. Grabbing my cloak, I went down to the courtyard.

"I'm ready, Lt. Lamana."

Lt. Lamana looked at me, puzzled. "For what?"

I pretended to be surprised at the question. "Why, to go to town with you. Lord Walter wanted me to consult with the Wise Woman there and pick up some medicines. Captain Scully was supposed to escort me, but he needed her so I'm to go with you."

Lamana frowned. "He said nothing to me."

"He must have forgotten." I put on my blandest, most innocent face. "He was in a bit of a rush to get out of here."

Lamana looked at me doubtfully, then at Maggie who had given him the list of goods that Lord Walter was expecting and stood there listening.

"I did hear Lord Walter talking to Scully about it," she admitted.

Yes! I thought triumphantly but managed to keep my thoughts to myself.

Lamana chewed his lip. "All right, but you'll have to ride pillion. We haven't time to catch and saddle another horse."

I nodded - at this point I would have walked to town if necessary. One of the younger men helped me swing up behind him and we set off.

I was elated at the success of my plans and questioned the young soldier eagerly about the village. He was more than willing to talk - it seemed that he was a native and was on his way home for a week furlough. He told me about his family, his younger brothers and sisters, and the girl that waited for him to complete his allotted service so they could be married. I listened, my throat catching at the memories of the normal family life I had known. If only - but then, I would never have known Lord Walter. Or would we have met anyway? A pretty little fantasy spun up in my mind where I went to work in the Court after University, catching Lord Walter's eye with both my looks and my brains, meeting him as an equal where he would have been able to fall in love with me. I sighed.

"Here we are," said the young soldier, and I came out of my reverie to see that the horse had halted before a hut on the outskirts of the village. I swung down, thanking him before he rode off, and then turned to take a good look at the hut.

It was a medium size building, its walls made of wattle-and-daub with a fresh coat of whitewash, and its thatched roof was likewise new. To the side, I could see part of a garden, and smoke curled out of the fireplace above.

"Well, if you're coming in, then do so."

I started and moved forward, ducking my head under the low doorway. "Hello?"

"Come in and take a seat, lad. Are you hungry? Silly question - boys your age are always hungry." A small, slender woman looked up at me from the fireplace as she ladled thick stew into a bowl. "I know you're not hard of hearing, just stubborn." She gestured pointedly towards a stool. "Sit."

I obeyed, accepting the bowl thrust into my hands. "Thank you, ma'am."

"Melissa."

Thinking that she had spoken to me in some strange language, I said, "I beg your pardon?"

The Wise Woman smiled at me, blue eyes twinkling, and settled into a chair opposite me. "It's my name, boy. The villagers call me Sister Melissa."

"Oh." I dipped in my spoon and blew on it to cool the stew, surreptitiously looking over at the Wise Woman.

"Go ahead, boy. Get your fill of looking at me. You won't hurt my feelings."

I looked at her squarely then, seeing a small woman with dark-red hair and sharp blue eyes. In years, she looked to be older than myself but not as old as Lord Walter. "You seem rather young to be a Wise Woman."

She laughed. "I am older than you think, little cub. And far younger, as well. I am as old as these mountains and as young as a spring lamb."

I sighed. "Why do mystics always speak in such riddles?"

She laughed again. "It's one of the Guild rules. We have to talk like that, otherwise people realize that most of what we're telling them is plain common sense."

"Oh." This woman was not an Adept, then, just a woman with knowledge of herbs and healing. Overwhelming depression filled me, drowning the hope that had brought me here. "Then you won't be able to help me, will you?" I rose, turning to the door.

"She is alive and well."

I swung back around, and I know that my eyes were as wide as wagon wheels. "Who?"

"Your sister - and no, I can't tell you where she is. The place where she is kept is well-shielded. But I can tell you that she is safe, even happy, and well attended."

"You are certain?" I sat back down on the stool.

Sister Melissa nodded. "The Goddess has Her hands over both of you. No harm will come to you."

I felt my lips twist bitterly at that. "You'll forgive me if I don't have much faith in your Goddess at present. Or in any of the gods. Their protection doesn't appear to be worth much."

"Really, Fox?" Her eyes were intense and I dropped my own, picking up the bowl to have something to focus on. "And what would have happened to you if Lord Walter hadn't happened to attend the market that day? You could be in far worse hands than his."

The thought of his hands brought images to my mind, memories of how those hands had touched my body, and I could feel myself blushing. "I know."

"You are a seeker of Truth, Fox. Lord Walter will be your shield, keeping you safe from those who would have the Truth be hidden. Sister Scully will be the sword that will restore justice for those who have been wronged."

There were layers upon layers of meaning in her words. "Will I find it? Will I find the truth I am looking for?"

"You will find the answer to all your questions, young Seeker - but you must not make the job of your protectors any harder than it already is. Foolish and reckless endangerment of your life will not only destroy your life but the kingdom as well."

I found myself smiling a little. "You sound like Lord Walter when you talk like that." A sudden thought occurred to me and I swung around to look out the window. I could see that it was already late afternoon; time had passed faster than I had thought possible.

The wise woman paused, as if hearing something, and looked at me sharply. "Did your master give you leave to come see me?"

"Oh, shit!" I said. "I'm in trouble, aren't I? He's here, right?"

She nodded, then smiled ruefully. "You must give Lord Walter a lot of trouble."

"He does indeed," said a grim voice from the doorway and I dropped my head into my hands with a groan. I was a dead man.

 

Walter

The strangers on my northern borders turned out to be a small band of mercenaries, men whose faces and livery were unfamiliar to me. They remained sullenly silent under my questioning and nothing on their persons informed me of their intent although I had an uneasy feeling about the situation. Although I would have preferred to question them further, I had no legitimate reason to do so, so I had Captain Scully send the larger part of the troops and one of her sergeants to escort them off my land while the rest of us returned to Beauforte.

It was mid-afternoon when we arrived back at the castle, and I found myself looking forward to the pleasures the evening would hold. A warm bath, a quiet dinner, and then bed. With a warm - although possibly sulky - bedmate to keep me company. I smiled, thinking how I would tease my young love out of his bad mood, and shook my head ruefully as I realized that this old war-horse was becoming settled in his middle age.

We entered the courtyard and found a scene of mild chaos before us. Lt. Lamana had evidently just returned from the village and half of his men were engaged in unloading the wagons while the other half were standing open-mouthed as Maggie stormed at the poor lieutenant for some misdeed.

"What's going on?" I asked, amused and thinking that Lamana must have forgotten to take sufficient care of the goods. Lamana swung around and, if it were possible, turned even paler than before.

"L-Lord Walter! Captain!"

"What did you break this time?" Scully asked in amusement as she gestured to her men to tend to their weary horses. A stable-boy ran forward to hold my horse's head as I dismounted, stripping off my gloves.

"Go easy on him, Maggie," I said, and looked around for Fox. "Where's Fox? In the Library sulking, I suppose?" I started up the stairs.

"Um - your Lordship - the thing is - we seem to have - misplaced Fox."

I stopped and turned around, frowning at the stuttering Lamana. "Misplaced? How can you have lost him in a castle this size?"

"Well - he's not exactly lost - we know where he is - we think. And he's - not exactly in the castle."

Captain Scully strode forward, grasping Lt. Lamana by the front of his maille shirt. "What do you mean - you think you know where he is? Where exactly is Milord Fox?"

"In the village."

I came back down the steps. "And what is Fox doing in the village?"

"Visiting the Wise Woman, as you wished." As he saw the look on my face, he started shaking. "Sir! He told us - he assured me that he had your permission - "

The Amazon captain shook the poor man, glaring at him. "Lt. Lamana, if Milord Fox went to village with you, why didn't he come back with you?"

"Um - we sort of - forgot him."

"Forgot - How in the hell could you have forgotten him?" she demanded.

"We didn't have time to saddle a horse for him - he rode with one of the soldiers - young Billy, Captain?" Lamana was speaking rapidly, trying to save his skin. "Only Billy went on furlough today and there was a problem with the wagon and - and it wasn't until we got back just now that I realized that none of the other men had brought him back."

I was already back in the saddle. "Captain Scully, gather some men and follow me."

"Yes, Lord Walter." She turned back to Lamana, giving him one last shake. "Settle my men and unload these goods. And I expect you to be waiting in my office when I get back. I'll have a lot to say to you, Lieutenant." He nodded weakly and she gave the order to mount.

It was a short distance to the village and we covered it quickly. I alternated between praying that Fox was safely there and planning just what I would do when I got my hands on him. As I dismounted outside the Healer's hut, I heard a very familiar voice saying in a tone that would have been funny if I hadn't been so angry, "Oh shit! I'm in trouble aren't I?"

I heard the Healer laugh softly and say, "You must give Lord Walter a lot of trouble."

Who could ask for a better cue? I pushed open the door to the Healer's hut.

"He does indeed."

Fox jumped up from the stool he was sitting on, hastily setting down the bowl in his hands, and turning pale. "Master!"

I advanced on him slowly, watching him back away, letting him see the anger in my face. "Did I give you permission to come here, Fox?"

"No, Master, but I thought since Lt. Lamana was coming -"

"Did you understand me when I said you could come later?"

"Yes, but Master - " He was up against the wall, unable to escape me, and his eyes were large with fright.

"Have you somehow lost your ability to hear within the last 12 hours?"

"No, Master, but I thought - "

"You thought?" I was right in his face now, and I grabbed him by the neck, shaking him. "I think that your actions prove that you did very little thinking at all on this matter. Your actions could be considered an attempt to run away - which can be punishable by death." There - Fox's face completely drained of color and it was clear that he had forgotten that he was a slave, not a freeman.

"Lord Walter, you cannot kill him here in my home," the Wise Woman said calmly. "The disharmonic vibrations would be extremely damaging to my healing powers. Besides which, blood is so hard to clean up."

"Sister Melissa is right," Scully said from the doorway. "Bring him outside, my lord, and we'll kill him there."

"Scully!" Fox protested feebly. "I thought you were my friend!"

"And your point would be?" Scully asked coolly.

I grabbed Fox by the scruff of his neck and pushed him towards the doorway. "Outside and on my horse. Now!"

I don't think I've seen anyone move that fast in my life.

 

Fox

At that point, I knew my only hope was to get my ass out of range and pray that Lord Walter cooled off before we got back to the castle. The penalties for running away were indeed harsh - a slave could lose a foot or a hand or even be put to death, depending on the whim of his owner. My only hope was that Lord Walter would settle for the whipping that he had promised me instead. And wasn't it a sorry state of affairs when that was the best result I could imagine.

One of the village boys was holding the reins of Lord Walter's horse and looked at me curiously as I practically leapt up into the saddle. I said nothing, staring at the horse's mane while I waited. A few minutes later, Lord Walter and Captain Scully emerged from the hut and I was relieved to see that Walter was laughing with the Healer. Maybe he wouldn't be too angry, I thought hopefully. After all, this whole thing was partly his fault, too. He had promised that I could come to the village today, and he had broken his promise.

Scully turned back to the smaller woman and they clasped arms. "It was good seeing you, Sister."

"And you, too, Sister. Take care of yourself - there is unrest on the horizon. And guard this young one well."

Scully nodded and mounted her horse, and I felt Lord Walter swing up into the saddle behind me. A hard arm went around my waist, settling me tightly against him, and for a moment I forgot how to breathe. "Take the troops on home, Captain Scully. I will be shortly behind you."

"Lord Walter - "

"I'll be fine, Captain." There was a note of finality in that voice. Captain Scully sighed and I could feel her eyes on me for a moment, then she was leading her troop back towards the castle.

"Sister Melissa, thank you for your hospitality toward my brat here. I hope that he at least got some information to make his little trip worth the price he'll be paying." The growl was back in his voice but I began to have a little hope that I'd at least survive the afternoon.

The Healer laughed. "All information is useful, Lord Walter. Even that which we think is worthless." I felt her take my hand and press something into it. "An amulet to protect you against the dangers ahead, young Fox." I murmured my thanks, then wished I could take them back when she turned to Lord Walter and presented him with a switch. "And for you, Lord Walter, to punish this lovely young man." I let out an outraged protest and glared at the Healer but I could see my master's lip curl with a hint of a smile. He set his heels to the horse and we began riding slowly towards the castle. Slow was good, I thought to myself. The longer it took for us to get to the castle, the longer my ordeal would be delayed.

Lord Walter had transferred the switch to the hand wrapped about my waist and I stared down at the thing. "You're not really going to use that, are you?" I asked, reluctant to call his attention to the punishment I deserved but equally filled with a dread-fascination about my fate.

"After she went to so much trouble to choose a good, stout switch, it would be churlish of me to turn down such a gift." He glanced over his shoulder, as if gauging how far away we were from the village, and turned his horse into the woods. "Ah, that will do nicely."

I eyed with trepidation the fallen tree that seemed to have caught his attention. "Um - Master - shouldn't we be going back to the castle?"

He swung off the horse, tying the reins to a branch, and settled comfortably on the log. "Very nicely, indeed." He crooked his finger at me. "Come here, Fox."

For a moment, I contemplated setting my heels to the horse and fleeing. Only the certainty that Lord Walter's horse would throw me and that, if that didn't kill me, Lord Walter would, made me give up that idea. I sighed and slid off the horse's back, slowly walking over to my waiting master. In less than a minute, my breeches were around my ankles and I was staring at the ground from over Lord Walter's knees.

"Time for a little lesson, I think." The switch came down hard on my bare ass and I couldn't help jumping. "Do you know the meaning of the word 'no', boy?"

"Yes, Master," I gasped, twitching as the switch struck again. Gods, but that stung!

"Did you hear me telling you not to go to the village, not to leave the castle without an escort?"

"I had an escort - " I couldn't help yelping as the switch struck rapidly several times, the strokes thin and burning across my skin. "I heard you!"

"So you deliberately disobeyed me?"

"Yes!" My whole ass felt as if it was on fire, and I could feel sobs welling up inside as he continued.

"And you lied to Lt. Lamana, getting him into trouble as well."

"Y-yes, M-master." I was openly sobbing now.

"And if you hadn't been 'lost'? If you had returned to the castle with the troops? Were you going to tell me what you had been up to?"

"Um…"

"Wrong answer, brat." A few more strokes and then he tossed the switch aside. "You can get up now, brat."

Easier said than done, I thought, trying to get myself under control. I struggled to my feet and reassembled my clothes, dragging a sleeve across my eyes.

"Here." Lord Walter's voice was surprisingly gentle as he handed me a handkerchief.

"Thanks." I dried my eyes and blew my nose. "Um - I didn't say it - you didn't ask me to - but I'm sorry I disobeyed you."

"I expect you are." To my surprise, Lord Walter pulled me into an embrace. "Do you have any idea how I felt when I learned you were missing? Anything could have happened to you, Fox. Have you forgotten that Sir John would like nothing better than to get his hands on you?"

I could feel tears welling up again and buried my face against his tunic. "I'm sorry - I wasn't thinking - "

Lord Walter sighed. "Well, if it takes me beating your ass black and blue, that is the one thing you will learn from me - how to think before you act, not after." He released me after one last hug. "Come, it is getting late and we need to return to the castle before Captain Scully starts hunting for my ass."

Speaking of ass, I thought to myself, there was no way that I was going to be able to sit comfortably on that damn horse now. I should have known that Lord Walter had already found a solution as, in short order, I found myself lying face-down across the horse's neck.

"This is so embarrassing," I muttered, feeling my face redden, and tried to shift into a more comfortable position.

A swat to my tender backside stilled me. "You'll be even more embarrassed if you tumble off onto your head, so stay still, brat."

I sighed and lay quiet for a few moments, lulled by the movements of the horse. "Master?"

"What is it now, Fox?"

"She says Samantha is safe. Should I believe her?"

"She's been known to be right more times than wrong. Do you believe her?"

I sighed. "I want to believe."

A gentle hand moved soothingly over my back. "I know, my cub. I know."

 

Chapter Five

Walter

Scully looked relieved when we rode into the courtyard, her lips twitching a little when she saw Fox draped across the front of my saddle and his obvious discomfort when he slid down to stand on his feet. Lt. Lamana stood at her side and I could see that relief at Fox's safe return was warring with dread for his coming ordeal. Scully was a tough Captain, dispensing discipline among her troops with a just but firm hand, and her men feared and respected her in equal parts.

"The troops have been settled, Lord Walter. If you have no further need for me, I have Lt. Lamana's punishment to deal with."

I nodded. "Thank you, Scully. It's been a busy day - I believe that I shall indulge in a quiet dinner tonight." I turned to the stairs, gesturing for Fox to follow me. To my surprise, he hesitated and turned to Scully. "Captain, what will happen to Lt. Lamana?"

She looked at Fox squarely. "He will be whipped at the post. Ten lashes for failure to carry out his duties, five lashes for forgetting that he takes orders from Lord Walter and myself alone, ten lashes for his - misplacing you."

I could see Fox pale but he squared his shoulders. "Lt. Lamana shouldn't be punished. It was my fault. I told him I had permission to go, and I lied. I should take his punishment."

I could see that my astonishment was mirrored in Scully. She frowned, saying, "Do you know what you are asking? Twenty-five lashes is enough to send a man to his bed for several days."

Fox swallowed hard. "Then I am even more certain. You cannot afford to lose Lt. Lamana's service. I can be more easily spared - I am not so important."

I came down the stairs to join them, frowning. "I wouldn't be so certain of that, Fox. You understand that this would be in addition to what you have already received?" Fox flushed at the mention of the switching that he had received but nodded. I looked over at Captain Scully; management of the troops was under her command and I would not lightly usurp her authority. "Well, Captain?"

Scully shook her head. "I can't whip Milord Fox. It is not my place to do so."

"And if I whip him in your place? Will that satisfy you?"

I could see her weighing the matter, trying to determine where justice would be served the most. "Very well. I can't allow Lamana to go unpunished, however. He will receive ten lashes, the rest to be taken by Milord Fox on the condition that you substitute a strap in place of the whip. And both punishments to be conducted in private instead of at the post." Her voice softened. Such generosity of spirit should not go unrewarded."

I nodded in agreement. "Agreed. Come, Fox."

Fox nodded and turned to follow me. Lamana, who had been watching the entire proceedings in stunned silence, moved now, dropping to his knees before my startled slave and halting him. As he looked up at Fox, I was startled to see grateful tears in eyes that burned with feverish dedication.

"I am in your debt, Milord Fox. If there is ever any way that I may serve you in future, you have only to name it," Lamana said humbly, and I knew that the young soldier would protect Fox with his own life. A sudden chill ran up my back at that thought.

Fox shook his head. "Thank you, but you owe me nothing. It was I who got you in this trouble." He reached out a hand to help Lamana up. "And I am not a noble. I am but a slave."

Lamana shook his head and smiled but said nothing else as he turned to follow Scully into the Armory. Fox stood watching him for a moment, looking up at me when I gently touched his shoulder.

"Come, Fox."

He nodded, following me to my chamber. I sat down on the bed, weary from the long day, and sighed.

"Bath first, then a quiet dinner here before bed."

Fox began removing my clothes, unfastening my belt and laying it across the bed. "You forgot about my punishment, Master," he said quietly.

I touched his cheek gently. "I haven't forgotten, my cub. That was a generous thing to do."

He shook his head. "It was my fault, that's all. I deserve the punishment, not Lamana. He shouldn't have been punished at all."

I caught his chin, forcing his eyes to meet mine. "You are not to blame for everything. Lamana made some bad choices, as did you. I will not have you beating yourself up over this." I smiled at him, trying for a little gallow's humor. "That's my job."

Fox drew a deep breath. "When will you do it, Master? I - I don't like to wait for it."

I drew him against me, settling his nerves. "After our bath. You won't want hot water on your ass afterward, and I imagine that you won't be able to eat till it is over."

Fox nodded, resting his head on my shoulder. "Why are you being so nice to me, Master? You were furious with me earlier."

"Idiot," I said affectionately. "I can't begin to tell you how I felt when I realized you were missing. I haven't been that frightened since I was a lad going into my first battle. And then, to see you alive and well - of course I was furious. But I didn't punish you because I was angry - I did it because you disobeyed me and risked your neck without cause. I would be most unhappy to lose you, brat."

Fox's voice was odd and muffled against my shoulder. "You would?"

"Of course. You are precious to me, my cub, and becoming more so as each day passes. I would not willingly part with you."

There was a sound like the release of held breath, and then Fox was pulling away, determinedly removing my clothes. "You need a bath, my master."

I laughed. "Is that a comment that I smell?"

"Well, Master, I wouldn't have mentioned it myself but - "

I laughed again and cuffed him gently. "Brat."

Our bath was quick and quiet, but I was pleased to see a look in Fox's eyes that I had seen once, when his eyes had opened on the morning after I had first taken him. A look that I had somehow destroyed with careless words a few hours later. I had gone over our exchanges several times in my mind, trying to determine where I had erred, but had ended up with no more of a clue than before. And now the shadow was gone and that peaceful contentment was back, and I still had no idea what had brought about this change but I wasn't about to risk ruining it again by questioning it.

We returned to the room and Fox helped me into my bedgown, then brought me the belt as he had every night for the past month since I had purchased him. Of late, I hadn't had much occasion to use it as he had been remarkably well behaved, but it was still a nightly ritual. Only tonight Fox's luck had run out.

"All right, get over the bench."

Fox nodded, drew a deep breath, then moved into position and gripped the cross-brace underneath the bench. I put a hand on his back, steadying him.

"Tell me what this punishment is for."

"I'm taking Lt. Lamana's punishment, for getting him in trouble. I lied to him, telling him that I had permission to go into town. Then I didn't stay with the troops so they forgot about me, which caused you to worry when you got home and I wasn't there."

"That's right. And you are to receive 15 strokes. Are you ready, boy?"

Faintly, he replied, "Yes, sir."

I studied his bared bottom for a moment, noting that it still bore thin welts from his earlier thrashing. I determined not to use my full strength on this whipping, only enough to carry out the punishment. I raised the belt and brought it down on his upturned bottom, counting out the strokes. I could see Fox squirming under the blows, heard the catch in his breathing that told me he was trying to keep from breaking into sobs. I paused for a moment, halfway through the required strokes.

"Fox, it's okay to cry or yell or swear if you want. I won't think any less of you for it."

"T-thank you, sir." Despite this, it took three more blows before the first sound passed his lips. The next stroke forced a sobbing groan from him, and for the remaining five blows he sobbed freely.

"All done, Fox," I said, setting down the belt. Fox nodded and, after a few minutes, had collected himself enough to push himself to his feet. As before, I pulled him into my arms, and he clung to me. I could feel silent tears soak through the shoulder of my bedgown and decided that he needed a little coddling tonight.

I scooped him up into my arms and carried him over to the bed, settling him on his side. He rolled onto his stomach and grabbed a pillow, burying his face in it, and I rubbed his back soothingly for a moment.

"I'll be back in a moment, Fox."

I left the room, almost running into Maggie in the hallway outside the room carrying a heavily laden tray. I smiled at her, taking it. "Thanks, Maggie. Could you get the healing cream - " I halted as she lifted the cover off a small pot and I caught the faint aroma of herbs. "Bless you, Maggie."

"How is the lad?"

"Resting at the moment, then I'll try to get him to eat. He'll be fine. Have you seen to Lamana yet?"

Maggie nodded. "Already asleep, unless I miss my guess. He'll be fine as well and will heal with no scars. Very grateful he is to young Fox, too."

"I would imagine so. Good-night, Maggie."

I took the tray inside and set it down on the hearth, then took the pot of salve over to the bed. Fox lay so still that I thought he had fallen asleep until I saw the convulsive shaking and realized that he was still crying silently.

"Shh," I said, sitting on the bed beside him. "Do not weep so, my heart."

The body beside me went still and a wet face appeared from under the pillow. "Master?"

"Lie still. I have a soothing balm to put on your backside. It was my mother's recipe and it will both ease your pain and heal your injuries."

Fox tensed and tried to move away. "I don't deserve either - "

"Lie still, Fox," I said sternly. "I will not have you damaged or in pain."

Fox drew a deep, shaking breath and all the tension seemed to melt away. "Yes, Master."

 

Fox

I heard Lord Walter saying something to me but the waves of pain washing over me made the words sound like a distant rumble. I heard the door close behind him quite clearly, though, and felt a fresh batch of tears well up. He was disgusted with me, with my childish tears, and couldn't even stand to be in the same room as me. I buried my face in the pillow, feeling miserable inside and out. And this after my early hope that I might mean more to my master than a warm body.

A heavy weight settled on the bed next to me and a warm voice murmured, "Shhh. Do not weep so, my heart."

My heart?

The sound of that endearment stunned me, and I lifted my head from the pillow to make sure that it was, indeed, Lord Walter sitting beside me. "Master?"

"Lie still. I have a soothing balm to put on your backside. It was my mother's recipe and it will both ease your pain and heal your injuries."

That was wrong - I had to pay for my misdeeds. I didn’t deserve any kindness. I tried to pull away.

"Lie still, Fox," he said sternly. "I will not have you damaged or in pain."

Of course. Earlier, I would have said it was because I would be worthless as a bedslave in this condition, and a worthless slave was sold or assigned to other duties. But he had just called me "my heart" and earlier he had said that I was valuable to him. Could it be - was it possible that Lord Walter cared for me? That I had not mistaken the affection that I thought I had seen in his eyes on several occasions? Could it be that I had misunderstood him that first morning? Perhaps, just perhaps, he had only meant to remind me that - although he did care about me - there was a gap in our stations and I must be aware of that at all times.

I drew a deep breath, trying to control the shaking of my body, willing myself to obedience. "Yes, Master."

The feel of something touching my tender backside was sheer agony but it was immediately followed by a cooling relief so intense that I nearly blacked out. The world narrowed down to one sharp focus, that of the hands running over my inflamed skin, soothing away the pain and heat as easily as he had caused it. It was almost erotic, that release from pain, and I groaned and tried to wriggle into closer contact with those hands.

A soft laugh and a fond voice said, "Such a hot little one! Relax, my brat - the pain will return soon enough and then you will be in no mood for such games."

I turned to meet his eyes, giving him a sultry look. "So we should do something before the pain returns, shouldn't we, Master?"

Lord Walter laughed again and leaned over to kiss me. "Yes. You should eat before the pain returns."

I made a face at him, but he ignored me and fetched our dinner. I lay on my side on the bed while he fed me, an act that amused me greatly and seemed to give him pleasure.

And if it was strange to feel this relaxed and happy after having the two harshest whippings of my life within hours of each other - well, I was willing to blame it on the herbs in the salve. That, and the look in Lord Walter's eyes.

 

Chapter Six

Fox

I woke up in the early morning just before dawn aware of two things: the throbbing ache of my backside and the warmth of the man curled around me. The one made me long to find that wonderful salve and bathe in it; the second made me want to stay curled up in his arms without moving forever. What to do, I mused - and then the answer was taken out of my hands as another need made itself known. Swearing slightly, I eased out of Lord Walter's arms, shivering slightly against the early-morning chill as I made my way to the privy. As I returned to the warmth of the bed, Lord Walter stirred slightly. He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me closer and nuzzling my neck.

"Your feet are like ice," he grumbled.

I yawned. "So are the floors. Ever think about rugs in here?"

He murmured something vague and drifted back to sleep, and I grinned and followed him down.

It was mid-morning when I awoke again, this time to awareness of a chill on my backside and the gentle hands that were easing the pain. I turned my head slightly on the pillow to look at him.

"You know, Master, if you keep being this nice to me after punishment, it's going to stop being a deterrent."

There was a soft laugh. "Somehow I don't think so, Fox. You aren't the kind of person who enjoys pain." More soothing balm and I sighed blissfully. "There, that ought to do it."

I rolled up into a sitting position, suddenly aware that Lord Walter was already dressed and the day was bright outside. "You shouldn't have let me sleep so late, Master."

An eyebrow raised at that. "Presuming to tell me what I can and can't do, boy?"

"Of course not, Master," I murmured, bowing my head but peering up at him through my eyelashes. I was beginning to discover that certain actions like this could effectively distract my master, turning his thoughts into a more pleasurable channel. "It's just that I have so many things to do today. Your armor never got cleaned yesterday, and I didn't finish recopying the last of the barley accounts for you, and - "

The Look didn't appear to be working today. Lord Walter crossed his arms and stared down at me, no sign of passion overwhelming him. It seemed that I was going to have to work harder on those seduction techniques - that was the second time in less than 12 hours that he had turned me down.

"Lt. Lamana collected the armor earlier and Captain Scully says he's going over it like his own life depended on it. The accounts are fine as they are - you have a much neater hand than I, even on a rough draft. Today you are to spend time catching up with your studies, my boy. You've gotten behind on a number of subjects."

I shrugged. "What's the point? I won't ever be going back to the University so why should I bother?"

A firm set of arms dragged me out of bed. "Learning is never a waste of time, brat. Now get your lazy ass out of bed and get dressed."

He set me down on the floor and I moved quickly out of reach before he could add a little emphasis to his words. I had taken a few steps before I realized that something was different. I looked down. There, beneath my feet, was a thick carpet and there, in front of the fire, lay a fur rug. Dumbfounded, I turned and looked over at Lord Walter.

The eyebrow raised again. "What? You never heard of rugs?" A slight smile and he was out of the room.

Which, of course, was no reason why I should find myself hugging an old fur rug like it was a long lost treasure.

 

Walter

For a young man that smart he could be incredibly stupid at times.

Case in point - yesterday's escapade. Although, I must admit, one also had to admire the ingenuity that had come up with such a scheme on the spur of the moment. That is, of course, unless you had sworn to protect the body that housed such a sharp mind and indomitable spirit. And how to keep that body in one piece while leaving that brain sharp and that spirit free was the big mystery. For a moment, I wished that we could have met under different circumstances - at my brother's Court, perhaps. But such thoughts were useless - Fox would never have given me a second look and would certainly never have shared my bed had he been free to make a choice.

I sighed as I settled at my desk for another day of accounts and reports, this one unenlivened by Fox's presence at his little desk. At the thought of Fox, a smile crossed my face. The way that he had looked at me this morning, those green eyes peering up at me through those impossibly long lashes - and the brat had known exactly what he was doing. It had taken all my determination not to betray the sudden flush of desire that had filled me, not to throw him down on the bed and fuck him senseless. The boy was developing new tricks and it would definitely be interesting to see where this led.

These thoughts, however, were not conducive to concentrating on my work. I turned my attention away from my arousal and back to the paperwork that needed to accompany the shipment of grains to the Royal storehouses. With my attention where it needed to be, I made quick work of the papers so that by luncheon I was finished and had the rest of the day free. I decided to indulge myself and went to the library in search of my cub.

Fox was stretched on his stomach before the fireplace, so absorbed in his reading that he didn't hear me enter the room.

"Must be an interesting book to have your full attention."

Fox's eyes flicked toward me and he nodded but said nothing as he finished reading, then closed his book with a contented sigh.

"Sorry, Master. I wanted to finish that section - I'll go fetch the lunch tray."

I settled into my favorite chair, sighing with satisfaction as I allowed my body to relax. I had been so busy over the past month with the estate business that I had taken little time to simply relax and enjoy a good book at my fireplace. I decided that I must make time for that, particularly now that I had someone to share that fireplace and love of books.

The door opened and Fox entered with the tray, setting it down on the table. "Maggie sent enough to feed a troop so I hope you're hungry." He brought me a plate and cup.

I accepted them and gestured towards the chair beside me. "Join me, Fox."

He flushed again. "Um - Master, it's not very comfortable for me to sit right now."

I nodded in understanding. "Of course, my cub. I had forgotten." I rose with my plate. "Then I will join you on the floor."

He looked startled but moved quickly to bring pillows and furs, assuring my comfort before bringing his own plate over. He stretched out on his stomach again, eating with a good appetite. I watched him, delighting in the pure joy of being able to look upon him, and then my eyes fell on the thin book Fox had set aside. I picked it up, noticing his aborted reach for it, and opened it.

"Greek poetry, Fox?"

He flushed. "I’m brushing up on my language skills."

Slowly, I turned the pages and scanned the poems. I was a fair Greek scholar myself and I recognized these as love poems. More than that, poems written by an anonymous author about the male lovers in his life. The poems themselves were very beautiful, ranging from soft and tender to highly erotic. I handed him back the book.

"Read to me. I would enjoy hearing the sound of your voice."

He blushed as he took the book from my hands and flipped through the pages. Quietly, he began reading aloud, first in Greek and then translating it. Fox read well, his voice becoming more animated as he read, and I closed my eyes to let the words wash over me. The poem that he had selected was one of the poet’s early ones, expressing his love for his mentor, his feelings of unworthiness, and his yearning for any sign of affection. Fox’s voice reflected the deep longing and I felt my throat tighten in sympathy for the poet.

Fox stopped speaking and I opened my eyes to smile at him. "Beautiful, my cub. You have a gift for languages."

"Thank you, Master. Should I read another?"

I looked over at him, his face flushed in the firelight and his young body stretched out before my eyes. I was suddenly hungry for his touch again, longing to taste him, to feel him moving under me. I reached out to touch his hair. "Fox," I said hoarsely. "Take off your clothes."

His eyes widened. "Here?"

I ran my fingers over his lips. "Yes. Here. Now."

"But — but someone could come in," he protested.

"Yes." I leaned over to kiss his lips briefly, tasting their sweetness.

"Master — I can’t — "

"You can and you will." I kissed him deeper and then released him. He flushed and bit his lip, moving up on his knees, and pulled his tunic over his head. His eyes were downcast and I could almost swear I saw tears in those long lashes. I took his chin in my hand and forced his head up.

"Look at me, Fox," I commanded. Eyes filled with misery met mine. "Why the tears, my cub? Does my desire for you cause you this grief?"

"No, Master," he whispered. "I — I am pleased that you desire me."

"Then perhaps you do not desire me?"

"Oh no, Master!" he said quickly. "I want you very much."

"Then why are you distressed?" He was still silent and I pulled him closer, nuzzling his neck. "Is it because I want you here instead of up in my room?"

"Yes, Master," he whispered, flushing. "Someone — someone might see — "

"Only Maggie, William and Scully come in here, and never without knocking. They have seen you naked."

"But not being — um — "

"Fucked?" I kissed him, feeling the trembling in his aroused body. "I think that they would find it a beautiful sight. Your body gleaming with sweat, your head thrown back in passion as I ride you hard, your voice hoarse with the sweet sounds of passion that you make as you climax."

I felt his lips against my neck, heard his whisper, "You are beautiful, my master. Not me."

"Are you arguing with me, my cub? I shall have to punish you." I pushed him down on the floor, covering his body with my own, kissing him with deliberate passion.

When I released him, his eyes were bright with need. "If that’s the punishment, Master, I’m going to be very, very bad."

"Brat," I said affectionately. I kissed my way over his chest, exploring every inch anew, hearing him moan with pleasure under my attentions. By the time I reached his waist, he was gasping and clutching my shoulders. He made no protest as I tugged his leggings down, merely lifting his hips to help, and I continued my explorations. When I finally took him into my mouth, he was whimpering in his need and so hot that it took little to release him.

Immensely satisfied with myself, I sat back and watched my beautiful slave come gradually back to his senses. He lay sprawled on his back on the rug before the fire, gloriously naked and flushed with passion, and I felt a deeply satisfied sense of possession. He was mine, I thought fiercely.

Fox opened his eyes at that moment and he must have caught the look on my face. A slow smile crossed his own face and his eyelids drooped with desire. He held out a hand to me and said in a husky voice, "You have too many clothes on, my master."

I smiled and leaned forward to kiss him. "That can be remedied." I stood and shed my clothes, seeing the resurgence of interest in his body as I did so. "No more problems with this, my Fox?"

He held out his hand again and I let him pull me down. "Master, if you want to take me in the courtyard at mid-day, I am yours."

I chuckled and pressed a kiss against his lips. "Brave words, my heart, when you must know that I am too jealous to let anyone but my most trusted servants see your beautiful body."

"Really, Master?" His gaze was painfully intense. "You wouldn’t send me to another’s bed?"

"No," I said roughly, capturing his mouth again. "You belong to me and in my bed. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, Master." He wrapped his arms and legs tightly around me, kissing me fiercely. I caught fire and devoured his mouth, our bodies rubbing together and generating a heat more intense than the fireplace at our backs.

"Please — take me — please — " he whispered, rocking against me.

"Yes," I murmured, biting his neck. "Yes, my beautiful cub."

I could tell that his backside was still sore from last night’s punishment and he hissed as my finger entered him. I would have pulled back but he grabbed my hand in silent entreaty so I continued to prepare him. Then I rolled onto my back, pulling him with me.

"Ride me — it will be easier on you thus."

I saw the flare of passion in his eyes and he pressed a kiss on my lips before sitting up. He carefully eased himself down onto my hard cock and I bit my lip, fighting the urge to thrust up into that tight warmth. I focused on his face to keep from exploding. There was an intensity in his expression, his whole being concentrating on his own movements as he slid up and down on my cock, rocking his hips slightly to take me in more completely. I was enchanted by this new view of him, enjoying the sensation of being worshipped, and decided that I would have to allow him to pleasure me like this more often. Then, unbidden, the thought of him over me like this but moving within me filled my mind and I felt my body flare with heat at the image in my mind. The intensity of my need surprised me - I was hardly a virgin but I had never really enjoyed being penetrated by my previous lovers. But it seemed that with Fox all things were different.

I pulled him down for a kiss, hungrily feasting on the mouth that brought me so much pleasure, and holding his hips with my hands as I rocked up into his body. He groaned against my mouth, thrusting back to meet my body, and if it caused pain to his abused ass he didn’t seem to notice. I felt the familiar tightness beginning in my belly and released him, letting him sit back up so that he could move deeper while my hands grasped his cock, stroking it firmly. I heard him gasp and then he was moving frantically, riding me hard as he erupted in my hand. I felt his muscles clench tight around me, and his shout of joy blended with mine as I came deep within him.

Fox collapsed onto my chest, breathing hard, and I smiled as I wrapped my arms around him. "I think you wore yourself out, my cub."

"Mmm-hmm."

"Then I suppose it would be useless to suggest that we get up and dress?"

"In a little while, Master," he said sleepily, his head snuggling against my shoulder.

I smiled again indulgently and pulled a fur over us, hearing him nearly purr in contentment. Reaching out for a pillow to cushion my head, my hand brushed over the book of poems. I picked up the book and began reading aloud, letting the beautiful love words lull my beloved cub to sleep in my arms.

Yes, I was besotted. And I didn’t care who knew.


	3. Part 3: Interlude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes: I realized when introducing the Crown Prince in this section that there were some discrepancies in the ages mentioned in the first section, so I have adjusted them and will be modifying the first part accordingly. For those keeping track, these are the ages of the characters: Fox - 18; Samantha - 14; Lord Walter - 32; King Jeffrey - 22/23 (as of birthday in this section); Queen Diana - 24; Prince John, Duke of Gibson - 7; Scully -24. Other significant dates: King John died 12 years ago when Jeffrey was 10, Scully was 12, Walter 20, and Fox was 6. Lord Walter was married at 17, a widower at 27. King Jeffrey was crowned at 11, married at 14 and a father at 15 (life in the fast lane!). King John married Walter's mother at 17 (she was 15), a father at 20, widower at 27, remarried and father at 28, dead at 40. Everyone on the same page now?

Chapter One 

Fox 

It was a crisp autumn day and the leaves were already turning to flame when Lord Walter fulfilled his promise to take me up the hillside and show me Beauforte. Two weeks had passed since my misadventure in the village and I was eager to get away from the castle for a short while. We rode out at a steady pace, Captain Scully alert as always to any danger with the rest of the guard arrayed before and behind us. Lord Walter was in an especially good mood this morning, taking the time to point out the features of the land as we crossed the open meadow and started up the narrow mountain path leading to one of the watchtowers guarding the land. The guards we had with us would be relieving the current ones on duty, living here on top of the mountain for the next month as they kept watch for any dangers, be they man-made or natural. A large signal-fire lay at the ready, a beacon that could be seen from the castle or the village. Two other watchtowers protected the far western and southern borders of his land, evidence of Lord Walter’s vigilance. 

Halfway up the mountain path, Lord Walter halted his horse and dismounted. "We’ll wait for you here, Captain Scully." 

Scully nodded, for once not worried about Lord Walter’s safety — after all, anyone coming up the path would be easily heard or seen. She and the guards continued up the path while I dismounted and tied up both of our horses, grabbed my cloak from the saddle, and looked around for Lord Walter. 

"This way, Fox." 

I followed his voice through a gap in the tangle of low brush and found him standing on a little knoll of ground that looked out over the valley below. He spread my cloak on the ground and sat down on it, and I settled down in the V formed by his legs. He pulled me back against his chest, resting his chin on my shoulder, and wrapped his cloak around both of us. 

"There," he murmured against my ear, pointing down the hill. "Beauforte." 

I looked where he pointed and caught my breath. It was indeed a beautiful sight I saw before me. What had seemed to be, close up, gray walls without much interest looked completely different from a distance. The gray seemed to turn to silver against the brown and green of the fields around it and the blue of the bay behind it. 

"It’s beautiful," I said softly. 

I felt Lord Walter’s pleasure in my answer as he hugged me. "I think so, too." 

We sat there in peaceful contentment, looking down through the red and gold leaves at the castle. I idly watched the small figures moving about the fields and roads, looking like toys against the wide vista stretching before us. 

"It’s so peaceful up here," I said, leaning back against the warm chest behind me, his arms wrapped around my waist and his cloak around the two of us. It was very cozy to sit like this, warm like two woodland animals in their nest, and I felt snug and safe and sleepy. I let my eyes drift half-shut, just drifting through the lazy afternoon. 

Suddenly, I felt Lord Walter stiffen behind me. 

"What’s wrong?" I asked softly, not opening my eyes. 

"A royal messenger," he said shortly. "Lately that seems to mean trouble." 

I felt a chill run up my spine and shivered. "What kind of trouble?" 

A breath of a sigh in my hair. "I have no idea, my Fox. But I won’t let anything happen to you. I swear it on my honor." 

A brief kiss on my head, too brief and too light for the sudden overwhelming need I felt for reassurance. I snuggled back closer, letting my body rub provocatively against his as I shifted in place. A soft chuckle and a nip on the part of my neck exposed above his cloak greeted this effort on my part. 

"My sweet pleasure slave. How much you have learned in such a short time." 

"I’m ready for more lessons, Master," I murmured, turning slightly to nuzzle at his neck. 

"Brat. Now is not the time nor the place for these games." 

"Why not? It’ll be an hour before Scully comes back this way and we are totally private here. Let me help you take your mind off your worries." I continued my assault on his neck, greatly encouraged by his hesitation. 

"Beautiful brat," he said with a sigh. "I have no one to blame but myself, I suppose — I have taught you too well." 

I pouted, well aware by now that he found this irresistible. He groaned at that and pulled me around and into his lap, crushing me against his chest as he devoured my mouth. I wrapped my arms around him under the cloak, surrendering myself willingly to the man who owned me body and soul — and heart as well. And if he didn’t know that last — well, I was certainly free to bestow my heart where I willed. 

He released my lips to continue down my throat and I rocked my body in his lap, seeking further closeness. Steel arms pinned me, holding me still. 

"Stop — Fox — if you don’t stop now I will surely take you right here." 

"Take me, then. I want you to." 

"No." Lord Walter pulled back, keeping his arms around me but stopping those devastating kisses. "We have nothing to ease the way and I will not hurt you." 

"I don’t mind — " 

"I do. You belong to me and I will not have you hurt." 

I wanted to bang my head against a tree in frustration. "But I want you so badly!" 

"And I want you." Lord Walter began kissing me again, gently, teasing me. "But wanting will keep." 

I ground my teeth in frustration. "Master, please!" 

"Have you never indulged in just kissing and touching without culminating the act?" His lips were butterfly light, moving across my face. 

Remembering my few furtive tumbles with willing girls before I met Lord Walter, I sighed. "My experience has been somewhat limited." 

"Then I shall teach you this as well." Lord Walter kissed me briefly. His hands slowly caressed my back and I felt the heat through the thick wool shirt I wore. "There can be great pleasure in just kissing and caressing, building the pleasure slowly, knowing that soon, very soon, it will become more but that, for now, this is all you want." One hand slid along the back of my head, holding me still as his mouth slowly descended. "What’s more, you can do this in public." 

Public was good, I thought dazedly as my mouth was slowly explored. The idea of sitting in Lord Walter’s lap or at his feet at table while he caressed me thus was highly intoxicating. And the notion of being able to do this to him in public was arousing as well. 

"I think — I understand — Master," I managed to say finally. 

Lord Walter chuckled. "You like this lesson, then?" 

"I like all your lessons." Since he had stopped, I dove in and began kissing and caressing him. 

He raised an eyebrow. "Even the ones delivered with my belt?" 

"Even those." I kissed his throat, licking it with slow, erotic flicks of my tongue. "You do that to show that you care about me, not to be cruel." 

"You are very wise, my fox cub. And that I did not teach you. That comes from having eyes that see clearly into other people’s hearts." 

I could feel myself blushing and buried my face in his shoulder. "You overrate me, my master. I am unworthy of such praise." 

"I think that I shall be the judge of that." 

His arms tightened around me and he pressed a gentle kiss on my hair. I let myself relax in the comfort of those arms, just enjoying the day and his presence. My body’s urges had subsided somewhat and I found that I was content to spend time with him like this, just holding one another and being close. It was a novel experience. When I rested in his arms like this it was after he had taken me and, while I cherished the affection that he showed me afterward, this was a moment I knew that I would treasure forever. To be held thus for the simple joy of being close was somehow more intimate than all the times that he had possessed my body, making me feel like his lover instead of just his bedmate. Not that I would ever forget which was my true place in his life; still, I hurt no one by indulging myself in the illusion of being his beloved. 

It was with a regretful sigh that I heard the returning riders and pushed myself off his lap, rising to my feet and giving him a hand up. We were mounted by the time Captain Scully and her troop reached us and Lord Walter quickly moved to the front of the soldiers beside her. I hung back in the middle, aware that I had no business listening to whatever discussion they were having, and realized that I had been wrong in thinking I hurt no one. I hurt myself by my foolish indulgence. I would do well to remember my true place and not yearn for what could never be mine. 

We rode quickly back to the castle and, as we entered the courtyard, Lamana and William came down the stairs with news of the messenger. Lord Walter went off to see the messenger with William while Lamana and Scully set about assigning leave rotation and assignments to the returning men. I slowly made my way to the library, settling down on the rug before the fire and opening one of my history books to begin studying. But, although history was one of my favorite subjects, it held little interest for me at the moment. Instead, I found myself staring into the fire and remembering that afternoon two weeks earlier when Lord Walter had made love to me here, had held me afterward and read love poems aloud. It had felt like the whole world had narrowed down to just the two of us, just as it had this afternoon, and I found myself yearning for that again with all my heart and soul. 

It was some time later that I heard the door behind me open and I quickly brushed away my tears at the familiar footsteps. 

"Fox? Ah, there you are! Hard at your studies I see." 

"Yes, Master." 

I heard him settle into his chair. "Good. While we are in town, I will arrange for you to be tested and a new lesson plan drawn up." 

"In town, Master?" I asked, my interest perking up at that. It had been four months since we had left the City, five months since I had seen my friends, and I wondered if they would have any news for me about my sister. 

"Yes. That is why the messenger was here. I was planning to return to town next week for my brother’s birthday but I had intended to leave you here in Captain Scully’s protection. However, my brother has requested that I bring you with me. As he put it, he is interested in seeing the creature that has so enchanted both his favorite courtier and his brother." 

"Me, Master?" I asked, turning to look at him in alarm. "The King wants to see me?" 

"Yes." Dark eyes studied my face as if searching for something. "It appears that you will have a wider audience to display your charms for, my cub." 

I didn’t like the sound of that, either the thought of being stared at by strangers or the sharp tone in Lord Walter’s voice. "I’d rather stay here, Master." 

Lord Walter sighed. "And I would rather you were safely behind these walls as well, although my heart is glad that we will not be apart. But we have little choice in this matter." His eyes were on my face again. "I will be occupied with business and you will have considerable time on your hands. Perhaps I should be less concerned for your safety and more for your virtue. You are a beautiful young man, Fox, and there will be those who will seek you for their beds." 

My eyes widened in horror and, without stopping to think, I crawled across the floor to embrace his legs. "Please, Master! I don’t want anyone but you — don’t send me to anyone else!" 

His voice was gentle but there was a darkness in his eyes that frightened me. "I promised you that I would not, but I speak instead of them enticing you behind my back. The Court is full of good-looking men and women, younger and more attractive than myself." 

"There is no one more handsome, Master," I declared, alarmed at the strangeness in his eyes. "I belong to you and no one else, and I would die before I let another touch me!" 

Desperate to prove my adoration, I dropped to my belly on the floor and kissed his boots as I had done that first day. All my hopeless love was lavished on those boots as I covered each inch with kisses mingled with tears. And then I moved upward, pressing more kisses along the inside of his calves, feeling the strength of those legs through the cloth, and upward till my hands were holding his knees. I heard a faint groan but ignored it as I pushed his legs apart and moved between his knees, concentrating on his thighs. As my cheek brushed against his groin, I could feel the swelling member within and smell the musk of his arousal, and it was too much to ignore. I turned my head and sucked at his cock through the thick material, lavishing all my attention on that mound of flesh, and I heard a gasp of pleasure. 

Casting my eyes briefly upward, I saw that Lord Walter had slumped back into his chair, his head thrown back and his eyes closed, and I felt a surge of elation run through my body. I was doing this to him, pleasuring him as he had pleasured me, and the sense of power was heady indeed. My hands went to his waist, pushing his tunic up over his belt to give me access to the ties on his breeches. In a moment, his member was free and the sweet heaviness of it lay in my hands, ready for my worship. And worship it I did, laving every inch with my tongue, teasing with little nips, doing everything but what he needed and what he was now begging me to do. The sound of his hoarse voice begging me to suck him was intoxicating and I slid the thick cock into my mouth, taking it deeper than I had ever managed to do before this. I could feel his involuntary thrust upward and pinned his hips with my hands, determined to make this last as long as possible. He swore and wriggled beneath me but I ignored that, listening to his body instead of his words, and his body demanded that I delay gratification as long as possible. 

He was crying out now, close to fulfillment, and I released his cock from my mouth, squeezing firmly to stop the impending climax as he had done to me so many times. He swore again, weakly, then stopped as I rose to my feet and casually stripped off my clothing until I stood naked before him. 

"Fox…" 

His voice was a low moan, desperate with his need. He was sprawled in his great chair, still mostly clothed except for his splendid shaft thrusting upward from his opened breeches, a picture of wantonness. I smiled back at him wickedly and turned back to the library shelves where I kept a small pot of oil for tending the leather on some of the old books. Coating my fingers thoroughly, I spread my legs and bent forward slightly, giving Lord Walter the best view while I prepared myself for his usage. I couldn't help groaning in pleasure at the feeling as I fucked myself on my own fingers and, glancing over my shoulder at Lord Walter, I could see that he was mesmerized by the sight. He was breathing erratically now and his cock looked hard enough to hammer pegs. I grinned at that thought and withdrew my fingers, moving closer to the man who owned me and who looked as if he would like to eat me alive. Quickly, I covered his cock with the oil then climbed into his lap and carefully sank down onto the hard shaft. 

At the feeling of his thick cock filling my body, I abandoned any thought of prolonging this pleasuring. Settling my knees to either side of his thighs, I lifted myself up and thrust back down, letting my eyes close while I sought the fulfillment I needed. I felt his hands on my body, one hand on my hip to steady my thrusting but not controlling it. More joy flooded my heart as I realized that he could have taken control but was allowing me to continue, and I thrust harder as I moved my hips to bring the sweet pressure where I needed it the most. I heard his gasp and then a wordless cry as his hips rocked upwards toward mine, and all sense deserted me. I pushed downward, hard, and felt the brush over my sensitive inner nub. That was all it took. The shuddering spasms claimed my body and I cried out in ecstasy even as I felt the hot warmth from Lord Walter's completion flooding me. I collapsed against him, exhausted, and felt warm arms wrap around me as soft kisses were pressed against my hair. Well contented, I snuggled in closer and felt the throb of the cock I still held within my body. 

"Enough." My master's deep voice nearly purred in my ears, and I was relieved to hear humor as well as satisfaction in it. "I believe you, my heart. And I will keep you safely with me for as long as I can." 

"Good," I murmured, feeling myself getting sleepy after my exertions. "Because if you should have any more doubts, I'm certain that I can assuage them - after a short rest." 

He chuckled and I relished the rumbling feeling against my cheek. "I have no doubt of that, little fire-eater. No doubt at all." 

 

Chapter Two 

Walter 

We approached the city from the southern gate late in the afternoon on the second day after leaving Beauforte. Captain Scully and a troop of seasoned fighters accompanied us, leaving Lieutenant Lamana to guard Beauforte with the rest of my soldiers. Unlike our trip from the city four months earlier, I had decided that we would keep pace with our baggage caravan instead of riding ahead. Following the previous attack on the baggage wain, I wasn't taking any chances and wasn't about to exhaust my men riding straight through when they might be called upon to defend us from ambush. Also, I had to admit that I was in no hurry to reach the city. After the idyll of the past four months alone with my Fox, I was reluctant to share him with others. If I had been going to Reggie's, I would have been easier at heart but, at my brother's orders, we would be staying at the royal palace. Right in the midst of all those sophisticated courtiers and beautiful women. Right in Sir John's lair. 

We passed the night at an inn and I lay awake for hours holding Fox in my arms and watching him sleep. I told myself that I was starting at shadows, like a frightened child, but my heart was heavy with dread. I had not inherited my mother's Gift, but there had been times before a battle when I had felt a certain sense of either success or doom and I had been right more often than wrong. What I sensed now wasn't immediate danger but rather a sense of standing on a path that would lead towards great changes - for good or ill I could not tell. 

As we rode under the gates into the City, I felt a presence at my side and turned with a smile to look at my slave's face. Despite his earlier dread, I could sense his excitement at returning to the place where he had spent all his life. The streets were bustling with merchants and townsfolk about their business, and I watched him drink in the sights eagerly. 

"Glad to be back, my Fox?" 

"I'd forgotten this," Fox said with a slight smile. "The bustle, the noise, the people - the smell." 

I chuckled at that. "I expect that you'll have plenty of time to refamiliarize yourself with the city over the next two weeks." I felt Captain Scully draw up on my other side as we drew near the royal enclosure and turned to look at her inquiringly. 

"Lord Walter, what are your orders?" 

"Set up rotations of two guards on our rooms, day and night. In addition, I want you and another guard with Fox at all times - you'll both be sleeping in my chambers during the night as well. While not on duty, the others will stay at the barracks - and caution them to stay out of trouble." 

Captain Scully nodded and wheeled around to issue orders, no doubt already having the rotation schedule planned in her mind before I finished speaking. I knew that Fox had heard me when I turned and found a questioning look on his face. 

"Expecting trouble, Master?" 

"Anticipating it more than expecting it. And you will obey my orders, Fox," I added sternly. "You do not take a step outside our rooms without myself or Scully. Am I understood?" 

I saw the mulish tightening of the young slave's mouth and his eyes met mine defiantly but I refused to look away. Finally, he sighed and dropped his own eyes. "Yes, Master." 

I reached over to lay one hand on his, squeezing it. "Fox, I know you don't like it, but it's for your own protection. Sir John doesn't give up easily, and I'm sure that your inclusion in this trip was his plan." 

Fox shivered but nodded silently and I sighed, withdrawing my hand, leaving the boy to sulk in peace. There would be plenty of time to coax him out of this mood later when we were alone. 

We rode into the castle courtyard and stable boys ran to take our horses as we dismounted. The Chamberlain hurried out to greet me and lead me to my chambers while servants saw to the unloading of our baggage. Fox pulled the hood of his cloak up to shield his face as he followed in my wake and Scully plus three of her men fell into place behind him. 

"His Majesty said to tell you that you've been assigned your old rooms from when you were Regent," the Chamberlain said as we walked. "He thought you would be most comfortable there." 

"Be sure to thank my brother," I said, grateful for my brother's sensitivity in not assigning me to the rooms I had shared with my late wife. I had hated those chambers for the very reason that Sharon had loved them - in the newer palace section, they were too opulent and too near the main court. My old rooms in the original section of the castle were much more to my taste and would allow me to come and go with greater freedom. 

"His Majesty hopes that you will be able to join him for dinner tonight." 

I sighed and shook my head. "Thank him for his kind invitation, but we've been traveling for two days and I am longing for a simple hot meal and my bed." 

"Of course. I will arrange it. You will be present at Court tomorrow, Lord Walter?" 

I repressed another sigh knowing that this could not be avoided. "Of course." 

We arrived at my chambers and, after the Chamberlain ascertained that everything was in readiness for me, he left us to arrange for a simple supper to be sent up. I walked through the rooms - the outer room, the small bedchamber where Scully would sleep, and the master bedchamber - and saw that they had been well prepared for our arrival. A fire in the outer room blazed merrily, taking the chill off the rooms. Servants carried in our belongings and I directed their disposal, watching out of the corner of my eye as Fox set about unpacking my belongings and setting the bedchamber to rights. He appeared to have gotten over his sulk for which I was heartily glad; I was looking forward to a good night's sleep and had no desire to either coax or beat him out of a sullen mood. 

Kitchen servants appeared with a simple repast and I ate heartily although I noticed with concern that Fox barely touched anything. Perhaps there was something troubling him and not just a mood, I thought, and determined to get to the bottom of it before long. We finished our meals and I retired to my bedchamber with Fox while Scully settled the guard for the night. 

Fox was silent as he helped me out of my clothing and into a nightshirt, then shed his own clothes and presented the strap to me. I raised my eyebrows at this — we had discontinued nightly punishment as it had been a long time since I had needed to administer daily correction. His recent punishments had only followed singular if spectacular acts of disobedience, like the trip to the village. 

"What's this, my Fox? For what do you believe you deserve punishment?" 

"For arguing with you," Fox said quietly. "I know that you only have my safety in mind, and I shouldn't have questioned your orders that I must have a guard." 

I captured his chin and kissed his lips gently, startling him. "Fox, you didn't argue with me, and I am not going to strap you for a momentary defiance quickly corrected. However, I will punish you - and severely - if I ever find that you disobeyed my orders about this." 

He looked relieved and I drew him onto my lap, kissing him gently. "You have been upset all evening, but surely it was not this that was bothering you." He buried his face in my shoulder, muttering something that I couldn't hear. "Speak up, Fox." 

"I — it's nothing. I'm being foolish." 

I sighed and stroked his back, sensing that I would get nothing further from him. And, in truth, what could I say? My own vague forebodings were disturbing my peace and I knew it must be worse for him, back here where his life had changed so dramatically. 

"It's been a long day and we're both tired, making it easy to jump at shadows. Let's go to bed." 

 

Chapter Three 

Fox 

I woke to a strange sense of disorientation, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling, and for a moment panic set in. I sat up in the bed, looking around me wildly, then relaxed as I recognized the body in bed next to me. Lord Walter was lying on his side turned toward me and, as my heartbeat settled back down, I was tempted to lie back down next to him. But then the noise that had awakened me repeated, a soft tapping on the door. I slid carefully out of bed, quickly throwing on my tunic, and went to the door. 

Scully stood on the other side. "Breakfast is here and his lordship wanted to be woken by the eighth hour." 

I nodded. "I'll wake him. Is there warm water for washing?" 

She nodded and handed me a pitcher of hot water. Closing the door, I set the pitcher down on the washstand and went back to the bed to gently shake his lordship. 

"Time to wake up, Master." 

A hand reached out and yanked me onto the bed on top of him and Lord Walter smiled up at me. "Morning, my Fox." He kissed me as his hands slid down to cup my bare ass under the tunic. "And what a fine way to wake up." 

I gasped under the intensity of his kiss and, as his hands pressed my groin tightly against his, let out a squeak of protest. "Master! Captain Scully and her men — they're on the other side of that wall! They're waiting on us for breakfast!" 

"Then they'll just have to wait." He shifted me slightly, pulling free the sheet between us, then resettled my body against his. His hands ran along my back, caressing and pressing me against him in counterpoint to his thrusting. He was already half-hard with his morning erection, and the feel of our groins rubbing together ignited my own arousal. I began rocking against him of my own volition, kissing him hungrily, and it didn't take long before I was crying out and coming against him. He wasn't long behind me, gasping my name as his climax shook him, and then pulled me closer as we caught our breath. 

"And that is an even better way to wake up, my cub," he said with a grin, kissing me again. "Morning." 

"Morning, Master," I murmured, content for the moment to lay here in his arms. "There is hot water for washing. Well, it was hot a few minutes ago." 

He chuckled. "If it has gone cold, we will send for more. A hot Fox is infinitely more pleasurable to me than hot water." 

I flushed in embarrassment and slid out of his lax embrace, going to the washstand to pour warm water into the basin. Wetting a washcloth, I took it and a towel over to Lord Walter, carefully cleaning off the results of our lovemaking. Then I helped him into his chamber robe and drew on a pair of leggings. 

"Well, Fox, I believe that I am ready for my breakfast. I'm starving — what about you." 

In my mind, I could see Scully and the three guards sitting in the outer room and I knew that they had heard us in bed together. Neither of us had thought to muffle our cries of completion, so they could have had little doubt about what was keeping us from our breakfast. The thought made my stomach knot. 

"I — um — I'm not very hungry. I'll just tidy up in here." 

Lord Walter frowned. "Fox, you hardly touched your dinner last night and I can hear your stomach growling from here. What is the matter with you?" 

I could feel my face growing flushed as I hissed, "I can't face them! They heard everything that we did in here!" 

Lord Walter looked at me in amusement. "They already knew you were sharing my bed, Fox." 

"Knowing it and hearing it are two different things," I pointed out. "I am not going out there." 

I could see the storm building on my master's face and knew that I had pushed his patience too far. "In another minute, they are going to hear the sound of my hand on your bare backside," Lord Walter said warningly. "Now get your ass out that door and if I so much as suspect I see a pout on your face during breakfast, I will turn you over my knee in front of them." 

My face flamed even more and I hastily moved towards the other room, scooting sideways in the doorway to avoid the swat he aimed at my backside. Scully was not there but the three guards were sitting at the table, occupied with their meal. They rose at his lordship's entrance and then returned to their meal, quietly discussing matters of arms and off-duty activities. I immediately felt foolish about the way I had acted. These were soldiers, trained to defend his lordship and his lordship's property, and if they had any thoughts about Lord Walter's sexual activities, they would hardly express those thoughts in his presence. 

Quickly, I fetched hot porridge and cider from the hearth for Lord Walter, brushing my hand over his in apology. I was grateful when he caught my hand in his and pressed a brief kiss on it. I got my own breakfast and settled down on the floor by his feet, realizing suddenly that I was famished. I was on my third bowl of porridge when Scully re-entered the room, and I wondered where she had been this morning. The answer turned out to be simple enough. 

"Captain, are the men settled in?" Lord Walter asked. 

Scully nodded, warming her hands in front of the fire. It was nearing mid-winter and the mornings were becoming chillier. "Yes, and your horses are well-tended." She turned back towards Lord Walter. "Orders for the day, Lord Walter?" 

Lord Walter sighed. "None. We have to attend Court and that will occupy most of our day." That thought was enough to destroy what remained of my appetite and I set down my bowl, suddenly wishing that I hadn't been so greedy about breaking my fast. "We'll need to bathe first. I assume that a page or maid has been assigned to our rooms?" 

Scully shrugged and glanced over at me, and it wasn't hard to interpret that look. In the ordinary way of things, I would have been responsible for making sure that such things as food and bathing water were sent up just like at home, but we three knew that Lord Walter wasn't going to have me wandering about the castle alone. Not with the threat from Sir John. 

"The Lord Chamberlain was unaware that you wouldn't have servants to attend your chambers, but he is seeing to the matter. He promised to have a tub and hot water brought up within the hour." 

Lord Walter smiled. "You are a treasure, Captain Scully. Since we won't be leaving the Court today, you may give your men liberty as you see fit. One guard on our rooms should suffice and we won't need a personal guard in Court. You should take the day and visit with your Sisters at the Shrine." 

"I'll arrange liberty for the men, sir, but I will be accompanying you to Court." 

My master chuckled and shook his head but didn't bother arguing with her. "You are stubborn, Scully." 

"I learned from the best, Lord Walter," she said dryly. 

Within a short time, several sturdy men arrived lugging a bathing tub and buckets of hot water. As I directed the setup in the bedchamber and fiddled with the water to get it to the right temperature, I realized that the bathing pool at Beauforte had spoiled me. And yet, as I knelt on the floor and vigorously scrubbed my master clean, I enjoyed this opportunity to devote my attention to Lord Walter without the distraction of him washing me at the same time. I carefully shaved his face and then washed his body, taking my time over the job until he declared laughingly that he had lost at least two layers of skin from the washing. I devoted equal attention to drying him thoroughly, worshipping his firm body and wishing that we could just stay snugly in these rooms today, but finally he dismissed me to get my own bath. 

I hurried through my ablution, not wishing to keep his lordship waiting, and was done before he had finished dressing. He was wearing finer garments than usual, in the current style of the Court rather than the country-style clothing of tunic and loose breeches that he preferred. His fitted green hosen, now laced tightly at ankle and groin, had been tailored to mold to his lower body. I could hardly take my eyes off the generous mound so well displayed and knew he had seen the avid look in my eyes when he chuckled softly. 

"What a sweet slut you are, my cub," he murmured, caressing my face as I knelt before him. "Behave yourself and I promise you will have your reward later." 

I flushed, rising to help him don a shirt made of finest white silk and tied the gathered neckline at the front, tucking the laces inside before lifting the heavy robe he had chosen to wear overall, in the style that the older men of the Court affected. I laced up the dark green velvet garment that hung to the floor with a discreet slit up the front for easier movement. The final touches were put into place: the belt with dress sword fastened about his waist, the soft shoes slipped onto his feet, and the heavy chain of state fastened about his neck. As I stood back to make certain that everything was in place, I admired the picture of elegant strength he presented, although I also thought it was a pity that none would see the magnificent body hidden behind the heavy robe. And yet it was a source of secret pleasure to know that I was one of the few permitted to look upon it. 

"You look magnificent, Master," I murmured. "There won't be anyone to compare with you." 

He laughed at that and reached out to tousle my hair. "You are decidedly prejudiced, my cub. I am a drab among peacocks here, and I am content to be so. And speaking of peacocks, it is time to get you dressed." 

In short order, I was dressed similarly to my master except with the short tunic affected by the younger men of Court. So short, in fact, that it barely covered my ass and, with my hosen laced tightly to emphasize my body both in front and behind, I felt myself blushing at being so exposed. Lord Walter paid no attention to my embarrassment, trimming my hair and brushing it back behind my ears where the unaccustomed length of it brushed against my neck. I could feel his eyes critically studying me and then he turned back to his open strongbox and looked through its contents. 

"Take out your earring." 

I removed the small golden hoop he had placed in my ear a few months earlier, puzzled, then I gasped as I saw the small emerald in his hand. "Master! You shouldn't," I protested. 

"And why not?" he asked, setting the earring in place. "It goes very well with that tunic." 

"It's too fine for a slave to wear." 

"I shall be the judge of that." 

He stepped back and I could feel the approval in his eyes as he looked me over. "You are beautiful, my cub." 

I flushed. "Now it is my master who is prejudiced in my favor." 

"I don't think so," Lord Walter said, and suddenly I was being held tightly in his arms as he said, a trifle hoarsely, "Whom do you belong to, Fox?" 

"You, my master," I murmured, unable to pull my eyes away from his and feeling my breath coming short. And then I was unable to breathe at all as he kissed me with a ruthless passion until I felt that I would faint from the blissful intensity. And then he released me, his tongue gently soothing my lips as we parted, and I swayed weakly in his arms. 

"Good," he said softly. "See that you do not forget that." 

Little chance of that, I thought to myself, still feeling the phantom pressure of his mouth upon mine. And then he was kissing me again, and the world went away. 

 

Walter 

He was beautiful, the green velvet tunic flowing with his every move. The emerald earring caught the light, shining brightly in his earlobe, but not nearly as bright as his eyes. I smiled. "You are beautiful, my cub." 

His eyes sparkled and I pulled him close to claim him with a kiss. He melted into my arms, returning my kisses eagerly, breathlessly vowing not to forget that he belonged to me. I kissed him again and bent my head to nip his neck just above the collar of his under-tunic, then released him and smiled in satisfaction. Even better, for now his skin was flushed and his eyes lit with passion. No one would be able to take his or her eyes off him. 

"Follow me closely, my Fox, and remember your manners." 

His eyes met mine and he flushed. Here at Court there would be less tolerance for an ill-behaved slave and, should he offend the wrong person, I might be required to publicly punish him. There was a slight diminishing in the glow on his face and a hint of fear in his eyes before he dropped them to stare at the floor. 

"Yes, Master." 

Captain Scully was waiting in the outer room wearing her ceremonial Amazon armor and she fell in behind Fox in our little procession through the castle to the main part of the palace. I paused on entering the throne room and looked around, spotting my old friend Reginald across the room, and started making my way towards him while Scully took position against the wall where she could keep an eye on us and the room. 

Our passage through the room was everything I could have wanted. The nobles turned and bowed as I passed then, as they began to straighten, froze and stared. I suppressed a smile and walked on, pausing to talk to an occasional friend, aware that my beautiful shadow moved and paused in rhythm with me, as if an invisible chain connected us. 

"Hello, Reggie." 

Sir Reginald turned with a smile. "Walter! By the Gods, it's good to see you! I was beginning to think that you were immured in Beauforte forever." His eyes suddenly widened. "And now I know why." His voice was almost breathless with wonder. "Walter, I've never felt an inclination for the Greek pleasures but your Fox could make me a convert." 

I turned to look at Fox as if surprised to find him behind me. He stood as I had taught him, straight and tall, head up and eyes straight ahead but distant. With the signs of passion still visible in his eyes and on his lips and neck, he looked delectable enough to tempt a God. Fox's eyes meet mine briefly and I let my eyes tell him how proud I was of him. He blinked, smiled slightly, and almost seemed to glow. 

"Yes, he did clean up rather nicely, didn't he?" 

Reggie chuckled. "You can't fool me, old man. You're as proud as a young knight who's just won his spurs. And you have every right to be." Then he shook his head. "But you're playing a dangerous game, Walter. John is even more in favor - the King has made him the Earl of Spender - and he will not take kindly to having the boy flaunted like this." 

I shrugged. "I was ordered to attend Court and bring the boy. Hiding him would serve no purpose, especially if John intends to obtain him by trickery or theft. Now there isn't a single person in this Court who won't remember the boy and remember to whom he belongs." 

"Clever, Walter," Reggie said. "But don't underestimate John." 

"I never underestimate my enemies." 

I had seen Sir John, now the Earl of Spender, approaching accompanied by his own shadow and spoke deliberately. I could see the amusement on Spender's face as he stopped beside us and drew upon his tobacco stick again. 

"And are we enemies, Lord Walter?" 

I met his eyes coolly. "That remains to be seen, Lord Spender." 

He looked away first, his eyes landing on Fox and he raised an eyebrow. "Excellent work, Lord Walter. I would hardly recognize the boy. You permit?" he asked, taking a step towards the slave, and I could see his hand moving involuntarily towards him. 

"You can look but I don't allow anyone other than myself to touch Fox." 

His hand halted and dropped to his side. "Very wise, I am sure. These slave boys are notoriously lax in their loyalties and will respond to anyone." 

If he wanted to anger me into allowing him to take liberties, he had missed his mark. "Perhaps, but Fox is rather special in that regard as well. I imagine that he would fight tooth and nail to protect his virtue and his master's honor. Is that not so, Fox?" 

"My life, my body, my soul are yours, Master, and yours alone," Fox replied in quiet but clear tones. 

"Impressive." Spender's eyes flared with displeasure and I watched him light another tobacco stick in an attempt to regain his composure. "His Majesty has been anxiously awaiting your arrival." 

"Then I won't keep him waiting any longer." Inclining my head to Spender, I took Reggie's arm and moved away with my shadow following. 

"First blood to you, Walter, but beware. That man is more dangerous for being wounded." 

I nodded in agreement but, before I could say more, I heard a voice cry out over the crowd. 

"Walter!" 

I turned with a smile to see the ripple through the crowd that presaged the approach of the King. I bowed and felt myself pulled up and into a warm embrace. 

"Brother! It's good to see you again!" 

I pushed back slightly to smile into my half-brother's face. Slighter in build than me, he took after his mother's bloodline in appearance rather than our father. His manner, however, was so like our kingly father that it still had the power to take my breath away - I had never been able to manage that slightly arrogant attitude of both expecting worship and, at the same time, ignoring it. Jeffrey, like our father, was born to the art of kingmanship. 

"You look well, Majesty. Life must be agreeing with you." 

Jeffrey shrugged and said, with all the pompous humor he could manage. "We enjoy our excellent health although we have been tediously bored without you. No one else lets us win at chess with quite the skill that you do, Walter." 

I laughed at that and shook my head. "It takes no skill on my part to lose to you, brother. Now, place us both on a battlefield and it is a different story." The King laughed at that. "Speaking of chess, I hear that my nephew is becoming quite skilled at the game." 

A shadow seemed to cross his face. 'Yes, well, we'll speak of that later." Then he smiled at me, dropping the royal pose, and I saw a trace of my mischievous younger brother. "For now, I'm eager to see this new treasure of yours that has Earl Spender nearly crazed with jealousy." 

I nodded. "Fox, attend me." I knew without looking that Fox had gone to his knees to the right and slightly behind me at the King's approach, and I felt him rise gracefully and stand beside me but I didn't turn to look at him. My eyes were on my brother's face, watching it for a sign of what had prompted him to order me to bring my slave here before him. I saw his eyes widen in surprise and then narrow slightly, appraising the young man standing quietly before him. There was a faint hint of some unhappiness there and then it was gone before I could name it. 

The King shrugged as he studied my slave. "I must confess, Walter, that I fail to see the appeal."

There was a soft, deep laugh from behind him and again the Court was in motion as the Queen moved forward to stand beside her royal spouse. "You fail to do the boy justice, my love." 

A flash of irritation crossed my brother's face and all my instincts for danger went on alert. There was trouble here, so thick that one could almost taste it and, as I saw the Queen's eyes avidly drinking in my slave's face and form, I believed I knew what it was. Although the marriage between my brother and his queen had not been a love match, Jeffrey was hardly the man to enjoy being cuckolded within his own house. 

With a detachment that may have fooled anyone but me the King said, "Oh, I'll grant you that he's pretty enough to look at, Diana, but pretty slave boys can be had anywhere." 

"But look at those expressive eyes and that pensive look! Not quite as exotically pretty as your Alexei, Lord Spender, but quite unique." 

The last remark was addressed to Earl Spender as he joined our little group, and he bowed gallantly to the Queen. "I believe that Lord Walter is already aware of the - admiration I hold for his slave. And your Majesty is most gracious in regard to my slave. I have grown rather bored with him and would gladly give him to your Majesty, should you deign to accept so trifling a gift." 

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see a flash in the eyes of Spender's dark shadow, and I thought that he had made a grave error in slighting the slave publicly. Neither Spender nor Diana seemed to notice; she laughed and tapped his chest playfully with her fan. 

"Very prettily done, Lord Spender. What say you, Lord Walter? Will you not equal Lord Spender in manners and offer me the gift of your slave?" 

I stiffened, wary of the trap that was laid out before me. "Unlike Lord Spender, I have not grown tired of my slave and do not anticipate ever giving him up." 

Diana was not pleased with my answer and I saw her eyes flash. "That was not so prettily done, Lord Walter," she said tightly. "But then, I can hardly expect Court manners from one with your upbringing, can I?" 

I could see anger building on my brother's face. There was little love lost between my sister-in-law and me - she was well-aware that I had opposed their marriage, favoring an alliance with the Spanish Infanta instead, but she had never been so brash as to clash with me in public. In an attempt to diffuse the tension, I smiled coolly and said, "I'm afraid that Her Majesty is right - I am more comfortable on the battlefield than I am in the ballroom, a fact I hope that all will remember when the dancing begins later." 

I heard a relieved chuckle form my brother. "Truer words have never been spoken, Walter. You have two left feet." 

"Yes, I do recall Lady Sharon complaining about the state of her shoes after partnering with you on the dance floor," the Queen said mockingly. "I wouldn't doubt that sore feet were at the root of her — accident." 

My breath caught at this unexpected jab and there was an audible gasp from those near enough to overhear. Dimly, I heard Jeffrey hiss, "You forget yourself, Madam!" Out loud he said as he summoned her Ladies-in-Waiting with an imperious wave, "Her Majesty is fatigued and will be retiring to her rooms." 

Her eyes met his with a glare but she could do little but curtsey to him and retire. Jeffrey watched her retreat with an odd look on his face, then turned to me and forced a smile, linking arms with me. "Walter, you must come and give me your opinion on my new roses. I have a new Gallica that will take your breath away." 

I smiled at him, recognizing his actions as meant to convey to the Court that I was still in the King's favor, and let him guide me towards the terrace. "And what would an old warhorse like me know about roses?" 

"Don't try to play the uncultured warrior with me, brother. I happen to know that you have the largest private library and that our father prided himself on your education." His voice was slightly overloud as we walked slowly towards the large doors leading to the gardens, intending to carry through the crowd around us and offset the damage from the Queen's slurs. "And I have seen your own gardens as well. Tell me, what fertilizer do you prefer? My gardener says horse manure but I have my doubts." 

"Among many experts, the manure from large cats is said to be best." 

"You hear that?" the King said, turning slightly to his secretary. "I must have several large cats. What kind, Walter?" 

I looked at him with as bland an expression as I could manage. "Lions are said to be the best, although tigers might do as well." 

I tried not to laugh at his expression as he paused and then, with kingly aplomb, he said to his secretary, "In that case, one large cat should be more than sufficient." 

I had to laugh at that and allowed him to draw me outside. 

 

Fox 

The evening meal went better than I could have anticipated, especially as the absence of the Queen and several of her Ladies-in-Waiting meant that dancing was cast aside in favor of other amusements. Lord Walter sat at the King's right hand and appeared to be enjoying himself highly as he laughed at the pantomimes and juggling with all the enjoyment of a young boy. I stood along the wall behind him, as did the squires, pages and slaves attending their masters, watching for his slightest need. 

Earl Spender's slave stood a few feet to my left as his master was seated to the King's left, and I could feel his eyes on me from time to time. Once I glanced over at him and met those enigmatic green eyes, and the intensity of his gaze made me flush. I felt as if he had deliberately run his hand over my body and was glad for the large presence of the King's eldest squire between us. I focused my attention on my master's large and muscular back, longing to have his arms wrapped around me again, to feel safe from the avid hunger displayed on so many faces as they covertly studied me. 

Lord Walter paused in his eating as if he felt my eyes on his back and raised his finger to signal for my attention. In an instant, I was kneeling at his side awaiting his orders. To my surprise, he held a tidbit of choice meat to my lips and I opened my mouth, flushing slightly. Although it was customary for him to feed me like this at home, at public banquets it was more common for those attending their lords to get what sustenance they could following their masters' meals. For Lord Walter to do this in public was an open declaration of my place as his favorite and a warning to others that trifling with me would be dangerous. While I appreciated the security of the gesture, I was also embarrassed to be fed like this, as if I were a small child or a pet. 

"You'll spoil him, Walter," the King said, his voice a little harsh with disapproval. 

Lord Walter only smiled and cut more meat to feed to me. "And what joy is there to life if we cannot indulge such pretty creatures?" 

Earl Spender leaned back in his chair, lighting another one of those damnable tobacco sticks. "I agree with his Majesty. Indulgence only makes slaves rebellious - especially high-spirited ones like this. Take a whip to him until you break his pride and you'll have a more obedient slave." 

Lord Walter must have sensed my stiffening for he gently ruffled my hair. "Ah, but why damage such beauty when a little kindness and a firm hand can accomplish the same?" 

His voice was hypnotic and, although I could fee the embarrassed flush on my face, I turned my head to nuzzle his hand. 

"Very pretty," the King said coolly. "Now do you suppose that we could find some other subject to discuss? I find that I am heartily bored of this one." 

"Certainly," Lord Walter said, bestowing a last caress before sending me back to my place. I was reluctant to rise for his attention had aroused my traitorous body, but managed to rise and return to my place without totally embarrassing myself. 

As I took my place along the wall, a dark voice hissed, "Pretty pet." I flushed and bit my lip but avoided looking over at Spender's slave. The King's squire ordered him to shut up and, although he obeyed, I could feel his smoldering eyes on my face throughout the rest of the meal. 

At the end of the meal after the nobles had washed their hands with scented water, we were sent off to the kitchens with the basins, bowls and plates. I cast an anxious look towards Lord Walter but he didn't appear to see, so I decided to move quickly and return to his protection as soon as I could. 

It almost worked. I hurriedly deposited my load and scurried out the door, back along the corridor towards the main hall. I was almost there when an arm reached out and grabbed me, pulling me into a side corridor. 

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Lord Walter's pretty plaything." 

Alexei's body pressed me into the wall, my hands pinned behind my body. I heaved at him but he was planted firmly and I couldn't budge him. 

"Let me go!" I snapped, turning my head and trying to bite him. 

"Oh, the pet has teeth!" he laughed, easily avoiding my teeth. "Do you bite your master? Or do you just lie down and spread your legs when he snaps his fingers?" 

I glared at him. "You don't know anything about it!" 

"Oh, don't I?" he said with a bitter laugh. "Let me give you a bit of advice, pretty pet. Let him touch your body, let him have you anyway he wants, but don't let him touch your heart. Because one day you'll be of no use to him and he'll toss you aside like a broken toy." 

My eyes widened as I heard my own fears voiced out loud and then I remembered the scene with the Queen. "Alexei," I said tentatively. "I'm sorry." 

Alexei glared at me, those green eyes intense with anger. "Don't waste your feelings on me. Save it for yourself, for the day when he throws you away." He leaned forward and kissed me, hard and fast then, almost before I could register the shock and surprise, he let me go and disappeared. 

I stood there for a long moment, stunned and trying to catch my breath, before I heard a familiar voice. 

"Fox?" I blinked hard and saw Lord Walter coming along the corridor, a concerned look on his face. "You were so long - I was worried - " 

I threw myself against him, desperate to feel his arms around me, to hear his voice drowning out Alexei's ominous words, words I knew in my own heart to be true. Not now, though, not yet. My master still wanted me, still desired me, and I would live for each moment I had with him. 

I could feel his surprise. "Fox? What happened? Are you - did someone try to hurt you?" 

I buried my face between his shirt and robe. "Please - can we go back to our rooms? Please?" 

His arms went around me, protecting and sheltering me, and I wanted to stay wrapped in them forever. "Of course, my cub," he said softly in my ear. "Come, let's go to bed." 

 

Chapter Four 

Fox 

The next morning, I found myself humming as I moved around our bedchamber, pouring water for Lord Walter to wash and shave with, fetching clothes from the wardrobe, straightening up the bedcovers. I felt pleasantly sated after having been thoroughly seduced and pleasured from head to toe, and I didn't even mind the soft chuckle from his lordship or the smothered smile from Captain Scully at the stupid grin on my face when we joined the others in the main room. I fetched our breakfasts and leaned contentedly against Lord Walter's legs. I was happy and content, and I didn't care what the far-off future held as long as the present contained my master.

"Orders for the day, Lord Walter?" Scully asked. 

"My brother wants to spend some time with me today discussing matters of state," Lord Walter said, glancing down at me with a smile. "Do you plan to spend the day curled up by the fire with your books, my cub?" 

I hesitated, wondering if I dared voice my wishes, then said, "Actually — if you wouldn't mind — I'd like to visit with some friends. With Captain Scully as escort, of course." 

"Friends, Fox?" 

I nodded as I looked up at him, trying to interpret the look on his face. "From University. It's been five months since I've seen them — I'm sure that they must think I'm dead, and I don't want them to worry any longer. Just — just a short visit?" 

Lord Walter smiled and reached down to ruffle my hair. "Certainly, my Fox. And take as long as you want — just be back before dark. The City streets are no place for a lad like you to be after dark — even with Captain Scully's protection." 

I moved up on my knees, pressing a soft kiss against his cheek. "Thank you, Master. I'll be careful." 

I hurriedly finished dressing, pulling on my boots and fastening on my cloak. Scully was waiting for me with the other guard assigned to my protection, and we quickly made our way out of the castle. As Scully turned towards the bridge that led across the river to the University, I stopped her and gestured towards the main part of town. 

"This way." 

Scully looked at me suspiciously. "Milord Fox, you told Lord Walter that these were friends from University." 

"I said that I met them when I was there, not that they were students." At her frown, I said, "It's all right. I promise that I'm not doing anything dangerous." 

Scully sighed but followed me as I wound my way through the main streets and down a smaller side street, stopping at a small bookshop. I opened the door and she glanced inside at the small interior then turned to the other guard. 

"Wait here." 

I went inside and smiled at the clerk. He actually was an acquaintance of mine from University and had introduced me to his uncle, who had recognized a kindred soul. Thus had started one of the few friendships I had had during my short life prior to coming into Lord Walter's service. 

"Hello, Max. Are the brothers in?" Max's eyes widened as he recognized me, then he glanced nervously at Scully. "It’s all right. She’s okay — she’s my protection." 

Max nodded and locked the front door before leading us toward the back of the shop. I could see the suspicion on Scully’s face and her hand rested on the short sword on her belt but I smiled at her reassuringly as we followed the young clerk. Young, I thought with a self-mocking smile. Max was only a year younger than me — odd that I felt so much older than him. He opened the hidden cupboard and I led the way down the narrow steps, Scully at my heels as she muttered oaths under her breath. I knew that I was going to hear about this later and that Lord Walter might take a dim view of this excursion but at the moment I didn’t care. 

"Uncle Melvin — look who’s here." 

Several brown-garbed men were working at a long table, painstakingly copying documents, and they all looked up at the boy’s words. The older man he had addressed looked up impatiently and then his mouth fell open in surprise. 

"Moldy?" 

I grinned. "Miss me?" 

Before I could say another word, Brother Frohike had thrown down his pen and crossed the room to pull me into a tight hug. I protested laughingly, "Easy, Frohike! If you damage me, Captain Scully’ll have to break you." 

Brother Frohike didn’t pay any attention. He pulled back enough to take my face in his hands, searching it as if to reassure himself. "Fox," he said in a choked voice. "We thought you were dead." 

I was touched — the short monk was usually terse and unemotional about anything except one of his causes. "I’m sorry. There wasn’t any way to let you know — " 

"Well, look at this," drawled a voice behind me. "Guess that saying about bad coins always turning up was true." 

Frohike released me and I turned to grin at the blond monk. "Hey, Brother Langley. Guess you didn’t get rid of me after all." I looked past him towards a bearded monk regarding me solemnly. "Hi, Brother Byers." 

Brother Byers’ eyes were fixed on my face as he said quietly, "We heard that your family was taken by Earl Spender’s men. Our sources told us what happened to your family — " 

"Samantha," I interrupted, hope firing up in my heart. "Do you know where she is?" 

Langley shook his head, sitting on the edge of the worktable. "No, just that she’s not in Town. She doesn’t seem to be on Spender’s estate or that of any of his cronies." 

"You’re sure of that?" 

"Yes," Frohike said shortly. "We’ve been over all of them, looking for you." 

The older man dropped into a chair and I saw that he looked older and more tired than I remembered. I felt guilty at causing so much pain to my friends and looked over at Byers questioningly. He was the quiet, steady one of the three, rarely letting anything ruffle his tranquility, a peace that had been hard-won. According to Frohike, Byers had taken the cowl and tonsure upon the disappearance and presumed death of his bethrothed just before their wedding. Grief-striken, he had joined a local monastery, intending to devote the rest of his life to prayer and gardening, but it seemed that the Gods had had other ideas. And so Brother Byers had come into the orbit of Brother Frohike and the rest was history. 

Brother Byers said quietly, "We traced you into the prison and to the slave pens and then the trail - ended." 

I looked at him, puzzled. "But surely there was a record of my sale — I saw Lord Walter sign the papers and Sir Reginald witnessed them." 

The three men exchanged a look. "The merchant who received you was killed in a fire four months ago and all his records destroyed." 

I felt suddenly weak and sat down. Sir John - Spender - appeared to have gone to a great deal of trouble to make me "disappear" and now I was here in the same city with him. I was suddenly glad for the Amazon captain shadowing me. "Shit." 

"Fox," Frohike said urgently, "we’ve got a safe place lined up for you. I swear that bastard won’t be able to get his hands on you. Just say the word and it’s done." 

"I might have something to say about that." Scully stepped out of the shadows, placing herself at my back. I saw the monks’ eyes widen at the sight of her and had to grin. 

"Who the hell are you?" Frohike asked, obviously dazed by the sight of the tall redheaded warrior. 

"Sorry," I said. "Brothers, this is Captain Scully, head of Lord Walter’s garrison. Scully, this is Brother Frohike, Brother Langley, and Brother Byers." 

Scully studied the three men then turned with a frown. "Priests? Lord Walter will not be pleased about this." 

"They aren’t priests. They are members of the Brotherhood of the Single Arrow." 

"The what?" 

Langley studied Scully. "Do you remember the late king's death?" 

She blinked as if not quite comprehending what this was about while I grinned and sat back, preparing to enjoy the show. "Of course. I was twelve and here in Town, training at the Shrine of Artemis. He was killed by a stray arrow while out hunting." 

"Or so they would have us believe," Langley said darkly. 

Scully crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "And you're telling me that's not what happened. " 

"I had a drink in a pub with a man who claimed to be one of several assassins hired to kill the king," Langley said. "If it was an accident, if there was only one arrow, then why wasn't his body placed on display like his father's?" 

"Why would anyone want to kill King John? He was a good and just man." 

Byers spoke up. "They killed him so that they could take power." 

"Who are 'they'?" 

"Nobody knows for certain," Frohike said heavily. "Spender is one of them but there are others, many others." He glanced over at me and I could see him hesitate before he added, "Fox's father was involved with them, but we don't know if he was a willing member or not. They had him killed to hide the truth." 

"The High Priest is more than likely involved, as well as others throughout the Temple and government," Langley added. 

"The government?" Captain Scully made a rude noise. "They can hardly agree about settling border disputes between the barons. How could they possibly manage such a conspiracy?" 

Frohike looked over at me with a grin. "She's hard to convince, isn't she?" 

Brother Byers moved forward. "We're not talking about the House of Lords, only concerned with their bellies and laying the servant girls. We're talking about a shadow group, working behind the scenes for their own purposes." 

"But what could they possibly gain?" 

"King Jeffrey was only a boy then. If the Lord Protector hadn't been able to pull together the most influential of the nobles and convince them to support his brother, the land would have been plunged into chaos and open to any invader." 

Scully made a disbelieving sound. "Invaders? This island has withstood invaders for hundreds of years - it will never fall to an invading enemy." 

"Isn't that what Harold's men said before the Conqueror landed?" Langley pointed out. 

"You said that people in the Temple and the government were involved. Granted, there is no love lost between the Sisterhood and the Temple, but I find it hard to believe that they would plot against the king - against their own people." 

"I didn't believe it, either," Brother Byers said. "But I've seen evidence that some of the Temple priests are involved. That's how I met my brothers here." 

"You're in the Church yourselves - " 

"Not anymore," Frohike said. "We left the Temple and formed our own Brotherhood when we first learned the truth." He gestured towards the other monks who had continued to copy, ignoring us. "We are dedicated to learning the truth and bringing it to the people." 

"You speak of 'them' plotting against the people - what do you mean?" 

"We are being prepared," Byers said. At Scully's incredulous look he said, "Have you got a guild piece?" Scully gave me a look and I shrugged so she pulled a coin out of her pouch. 

"A common coin, one that anyone of moderate means might possess." He held it up to the light and tapped it. "Do you hear that? See that shadow?" He laid the coin on the table and, grabbing a hammer and chisel from the bench behind him, split the coin into two halves. He held it up for her to see. "Hollow." 

"There are any number of reasons why that could be there. A flaw in the pressing of the coins, an air bubble left behind in the molding - " 

"A place to conceal substances which are then absorbed into the skin of those who handle the coin. Drugs to make us susceptible to their control, either through poisoning or influencing our behavior." 

"You are out of your minds. Milord Fox, where did you find these - these lunatics?" Scully turned towards me with a scowl. 

I grinned. "Actually, they found me." 

Frohike nodded. "Sitting on the floor of the University library amidst a stack of moldy old books that no one had looked at in years. Hence the nickname of 'Moldy' we gave him. My nephew - you met him in the shop above - introduced us." 

"The brothers were helpful in getting me access to some - unusual Temple documents," I added with a grin. 

"What - you believe in all this conspiracy nonsense, too?" 

"Actually, I was trying to find out about a ghost that supposedly haunts the Temple," I confessed. 

"A ghost." Scully stared at me as if I was crazy. 

"Turned out to be a young initiate sneaking out to meet his lover." I shrugged philosophically. "Which doesn't disprove the existence of ghosts, just not that particular one." 

Scully drew a deep breath and looked like she had found herself unexpectedly in a house for the insane. I knew the feeling - I had worn it for a time upon first meeting the good Brothers. "Okay. Let's just assume for a moment that I believe you. All of this with King John happened twelve years ago. Why kill Milord Fox's father now?" 

Byers shook his head. "Just because they failed the first time doesn't mean that they won't try again. King Jeffrey has only one heir and it is said that he and the Queen no longer share a bed so there will be no more legitimate heirs. If he were to die - " 

"The Prince is young and reported to be in delicate health," Scully said slowly. 

Brother Frohike nodded. "The only other blood heir is Lord Walter. He was disqualified by the High Priest because of his illegitimate birth, but there are many who would support him without the Temple's approval." 

I stood, glowering at Frohike. "Just what are you implying? They would have made him king before - without Temple approval - but he turned it down and made them take his brother." 

He met my eyes directly. "Maybe he changed his mind. Or maybe this was part of the plan from the start - Caesar turned down the crown twice before accepting it." 

"He hates Spender! It doesn't make any sense - " 

"I don't think he's working with Spender but there could be more than one force at work. What are the odds that the son of one of Spender's men - you - would just happen to be offered for auction on the same day that Lord Walter - who doesn't go to slave auctions - just happened to be there? And then the slaver and the records are destroyed? Too many coincidences, Fox." 

"I don't want to hear this," I growled, turning my back on him. 

A hand on my shoulder swung me back around. "Why? You've never been one to turn your back on the truth before - why now? Because you honestly believe that he is innocent? Or because you like him?" 

I glared at him. "You don't know anything about the matter!" 

"Then tell me! Explain it to me so I understand what makes a slave-clerk so loyal to his owner! Unless - " His eyes narrowed. "It's well known that Lord Walter's marriage to Lady Sharon was a sham, that his preferences lay elsewhere. Is that it, Fox? He took you to his bed, made you his catamite?" I flushed at that, speechless in the face of his incredulous anger. "Is that the price of your search for the Truth? Because if it is, he must be one hell of a good fuck!" 

I struck out at him, blindly, and heard my voice shaking. "Bastard! You don't know Walter - he's not like that - " But in my mind a seed of suspicion had been planted and I began to doubt Lord Walter's motivations. My stomach heaved and I turned away, blindly. "Gods, I'm going to be sick." 

It was Byers who wrapped an arm around me and guided me to the washroom, held my head while I was sick, then washed my face. I rinsed my mouth and then looked at him desperately. 

"He's not like that, Byers. He's - he's kind, and he cares about me." 

Byers reached out and stroked my hair briefly. "I hope so, my boy. I truly do." 

Brother Langley appeared in the doorway, concern on his thin face. "You okay, Moldy? Because your Amazon out here is likely to tear Frohike apart if you aren't." 

Alarmed, I headed back to the main room on shaky legs and found that Scully had Brother Frohike pinned against the wall by the throat. She glanced at me briefly before looking back at Frohike. "You wish me to avenge you, Milord Fox? Speak the word and I will crush his throat." 

"No," I said quickly. "Please. Frohike didn't mean to upset me, he just gets rather passionate about his causes. Let him go." 

Scully nodded and stared Frohike in the face for a moment longer. "Lord Walter took me into his household when I was a small child of seven and gave me to honorable and loving foster parents. He taught me arms from the time I was small and paid the dowry to the Shrine of Artemis in my name. He took me into his own guard and made me his Captain when I had proved myself. No other would have done as much for me. His care for Milord Fox has been tender and loving. I will not hear you blacken his name, and I will not see you upset Milord Fox." She shook him, like a terrier shakes a rat. "Understand?" 

Frohike gasped. "I understand. Please, put me down." 

She nodded and released him, letting him fall the remaining six inches to the ground. "We are leaving, Milord." 

I nodded and followed her to the foot of the stairs, then turned back and said, quietly, "Yes, he took me into his house. Yes, I am his bedwarmer, his catamite. But he had been kind to me and honest. I - I love him. I know that's not enough to change your minds, and I'll stay away from here if you want me to - " 

Frohike slowly came to stand before me, rubbing his throat. "You're always welcome here, Moldy, and I honestly hope that you are right - for your sake. If you ever need anything, you have only to ask." I nodded and was relieved when he hugged me tightly. "You're probably right - you are so much trouble that no one who didn't love you would put up with you." 

I flushed and hugged him back, then bid farewell to the others, receiving assurances that they would continue searching for Samantha. And so, with a somewhat lighter heart, I returned to the castle and attempted to forget the seeds of doubt that had been planted. 

 

Walter 

Jeffrey was standing in front of the fireplace in his private Sanctum, a brooding look on his face. For a moment, he looked so like the father I remembered as a child that my heart nearly stopped. Then he heard me and lifted his head, smiling, and the spell was broken. 

"Walter!" he called out, gesturing towards the table where a chessboard was set out. "As you can see, I'm ready for you." 

I laughed and shook my head. "Ah, I can see you want your satisfaction early. Very well, Jeffrey - your victim is ready." 

As we set up our pieces and made our opening moves, Jeffrey said casually, "I see you are without your shadow today." 

I made a move, looking at him briefly. "Yes. I thought that you would prefer us to be alone." 

Jeffrey nodded, looking both pleased and wistful. "I see you so seldom these days. Since the accident you have been in Town infrequently, and now even less." 

"Harvest time requires a lot of my attention." 

"As does your pretty slave boy." 

I could not mistake the jealous tone in his voice and I frowned. "Surely business of the Court has kept you so occupied that you have hardly had time to miss me." 

Jeffrey snorted. "You know as well as I that the government practically runs itself. All I am required to do is listen, try not to look bored, and sign my name to the multitude of documents that require it." 

"Be careful not to leave everything in the hands of clerks and politicians," I warned him. 

He made a face. "Yes, big brother, but you have no need to worry. Spender keeps a close eye on things for me." 

"That does not reassure me," I said dryly. 

Jeffrey frowned. "I know that you don't like him, Walter, though I don't know why. He's been good to me, almost like a father. He's been here when I needed someone." 

I reached over to touch his hand, saying sincerely, "I am sorry I haven't been here for you, Jeffie. What is troubling you? Something wrong with my nephew?" 

He nodded, looking troubled. "Johnny's health hadn't been what it should be these past few months. His last tutor found it impossible to handle him. Spender found him a new one but now he's become withdrawn and distant, distrustful, although the tutor seems to be an exemplary man. I've tried talking with him but - " He shuddered. "He stares at me with those big eyes of his and it's like he can see right through me." 

"How is he with his mother?" 

Jeffrey snorted. "Diana has no time for him. She's too busy with her own little court and her clothes and her - paramours." 

I raised an eyebrow at the bitterness of his voice. "I didn't think that you cared where she bestowed her - affections, as long as she didn't foist a false heir on you and she was discreet." 

"That's the problem - she isn't discreet. It's an open secret that her bed is always occupied. And she doesn't care what she takes between her legs - nobleman, commoner, slave - as long as it has a penis. Rumor has it that she's been through nearly all the men of the Court - married or not - and all the prettier slave-boys and now is working her way through the guard." He eyed me with mock amusement. "And you'd best keep a watchful eye on your boy. Once she fastens her eye on someone, she doesn't give up till she has him." 

"I'll be careful. Although I would think that young Alexei would be enough to hold her interest for awhile." Jeffrey flushed at that and I smiled. "Or perhaps that slave has found himself in another bed?" 

Jeffrey stood, roughly pushing his chair back, and walked over to a side table where a pitcher of wine sat. As he filled a goblet, he said quietly, "You were lucky, Walter. Father loved your mother and was faithful to her. His marriage to my mother was for political expedience and he felt no such obligation to her. Oh, he was discreet and always treated her with respect, but after the last miscarriage left her crippled, he never visited her bed again." 

I stared at him, appalled. "You were six - how could you possibly know that?" 

Jeffrey shrugged. "Children see more than you think. And I saw how it wounded her spirit each time a new favorite from among her ladies or lords found their way into Father's bed. When I married Diana, I swore that I would never put her through that." 

"You were a boy, Jeffrey - barely fourteen when the Barons sealed the alliance. No one would hold you to such a vow, especially when the other party is unfaithful in return." 

He returned to stand beside the table, looking down at me with a mock incredulous look. "You were married for ten years, Walter, and never broke your vows. Are you advising me break mine merely because my wife cannot be faithful?" 

I sighed. "Of course not. But - Jeffie, I want you to be happy. Just be careful if you play with that one. Alexei is more dangerous than he looks." 

"You should talk." 

I looked up at him, puzzled. "What do you mean?" 

"You have taken the son of a known traitor into you house, into your bed - into your heart. Don't deny it - I can see it on your face." 

"Just because his father was a traitor doesn't mean that he is one." 

Jeffrey sat down in his seat and leaned forward. "And you think that it was just a coincidence that he was there in the slave market on the day that your friend Reginald talked you into going to the market? A boy who looks like he does, just the kind that you would be attracted to?" 

I shook my head. "No. You don't know Fox. He's honest and incapable of deception." 

"Perhaps - although many a pretty face has hidden an equally clever mind. Nothing would be easier than for such a boy to worm his way into your affections and then to slowly begin to spread his poison, to taint your mind." 

I continued to shake my head but in my heart a seed of doubt had been planted. The boy had wound me around his finger like no one had ever done before, until I was so enthralled that I would do just about anything for him, believe anything he told me. 

"Very well - I won't try to convince you further. Just be careful, Walter, and don't trust overly much." He smiled at me crookedly. "In the meantime, talk with me for a while and take my mind off my troubles. Play with me and let me win." 

I nodded, forcing a smile on my face, and proceeded to lose the game to Jeffrey although I managed to draw it out enough to make it a challenge for him. And in my heart, I tried to forget the seeds of doubt that had been planted. 

 

Chapter Five 

Fox 

The rest of our visit in Town passed uneventfully enough, and I was careful to stay out of the way of both Queen Diana and Earl Spender. I wasn't so successful at avoiding Alexei as we were often sent about the same tasks, but Scully always shadowed me after I had privately confided to her what had occurred so he took no more liberties with me. 

As the week drew to an end, I became more anxious to return home. Lord Walter seemed distant and troubled although he didn't speak of what was bothering him, not even to Scully. And I couldn't completely banish Frohike's words, no matter how hard I tried. It seemed as though each of us had raised a wall keeping the other out, watching each other with questioning eyes. And, though I still slept in Lord Walter's bed and he wrapped an arm securely around me before we went to sleep, he didn't touch me in any other manner. After nearly daily intercourse over the past month, neither of us was accustomed to this sudden abstinence so by the end of a week both of us were frustrated and our tempers were short. 

On this fateful afternoon about three days before we were scheduled to return home, Scully had decided that she couldn't put off her required visit to the Shrine any longer but Lord Walter was also tied up with a meeting of the Barons of the land. Since she seemed to feel that she was personally responsible for my safety, she decided that I should come along with her. I readily agreed - except for another short visit to the Brothers two days earlier, I had not left the castle and was anxious to get away for a while. So right after lunch, Scully, one of the guards, and I made our way out of the castle and across Town to the Shrine of Artemis. We entered the public part of the Shrine and Scully led the way to a small vestibule. It was a cozy little room with a fire burning in the brazier in the middle and benches along the sides. We hadn't been there more than a minute before a young woman entered and warmly embraced Scully. 

"Sister Scully! It has been a long time. Our Mother will be pleased to see you." 

"And I will be happy to see our Mother as well." At the curious look the other Amazon gave us, Scully explained who I was, then turned to me. "Milord Fox, no man may enter further without the Will of the Goddess, so you will need to remain here. I will not be long." Fixing me with a stern look, she said, "Do not leave these premises for any reason whatsoever, or I swear I will take the flat of my sword to your backside." 

I flushed and the other Amazon laughed softly. "You speak to him as if you expect trouble, Sister." 

"Always," Scully said with a sigh. "Trouble follows him wherever he goes." She turned to the guard and said, equally sternly, "Martin, I shall hold you personally responsible if he comes to harm." 

Martin swallowed hard. "Yes, Captain." 

We both watched Scully follow the other Amazon into the main part of the Shrine and then turned to look at each other. There was a pleading look on the young soldier's face and I grinned at him. "Don't worry - I'll behave. She scares me too much." 

"She should," Martin said fervently. "I've seen her take the skin off a man's back with a whip once." He looked back at me a little shyly. "Milord Fox?" 

"I'm not a lord," I said quietly. "I'm a slave." 

He shook his head. "The Captain and the Lieutenant call you that, and so do some of the men. Because of what you did for Lamana. That took courage and we don't forget that." 

I flushed, embarrassed, and shrugged. "It was my fault - he shouldn't have been punished at all." 

After that there seemed to be nothing left to say, so we made ourselves comfortable on the benches. I pulled a book that the Brothers had lent me out of my pouch and settled down to read, getting lost in the tale. 

The scream was so sudden and startling that I was roughly jerked out of my book and I found myself looking around, bewildered, wondering if I had imagined it. Then another scream and a boyish voice yelling, "Let me go! I won't go with you!" followed by cries for help told me that this was all too real. Without pausing to think, I raced out of the Shrine and found a large man attempting to manhandle a boy on the street outside. The boy was struggling mightily and I paused for a moment, uncertain if this was a father and his recalcitrant son or an attempted abduction of some sort. Besides, the large man was armed and I most definitely was not. 

The large man drew back his hand and boxed the boy soundly on the ear. "Shut up, brat! They aren't paying me enough for this job to put up with your lip." 

That decided me, and I threw myself into the fray, punching the kidnapper in the face and knocking him to the ground - mostly because I caught him by surprise. Grabbing the boy by the arm, I hustled him up the steps of the Shrine and into the vestibule before his attacker could recover and launch a counter-attack. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the dumbfounded look on the face of my guard as I raced past him just as he was coming out after me but I figured explanations could wait. Right now, it was more important to get the boy to safety. 

Once in the vestibule, I turned to the boy and asked him, urgently, "Are you hurt?" 

Wordlessly, the boy shook his head and I looked him over quickly, ascertaining that there were no apparent injuries. The boy was obviously of noble birth as his clothing was of fine cloth, although considerably dirty and a little torn at present. Large eyes studied me with silent curiosity, both traits unusual in a child that I judged to be six or seven at most. Probably scared out of his wits, the little mite, I thought sympathetically, and dropped to one knee beside him. 

"You'll be safe here. Your parents - do they know where you are?" The boy shook his head. "Do you know where you live? Would you be able to take us there?" The boy nodded and I sighed in relief. "Good. Then as soon as Captain Scully gets back, we'll make sure that you get home safely." 

"Master Rupert will have called the guards," the boy said clearly, speaking for the first time. "They'll arrest you." 

"Arrest me?" I said indignantly. "I was rescuing you from that monster - " 

"That's my tutor." 

The bottom fell out of my stomach. "Your tutor?" I asked, feeling stupid, and glanced over at Martin. The sickly look on his face made me suddenly suspicious. "Do you have a name?" 

The boy shrugged, an oddly adult gesture. "I have many names. My favorite is Gibson." 

The sick feeling in my stomach intensified. "As in Prince John, Duke of Gibson? Oh, shit!" 

The Crown Prince nodded, looking at me with that oddly adult-like curiosity again. "You're my uncle's slave, aren't you? I've seen you around the castle." As I nodded numbly in response, he said, "My mother talks about you a lot. She likes you and wants to bed you." 

I knew I was gaping at such words coming out of the young boy's mouth and flushed. "How can you possibly know that?" 

He shrugged again. "I can tell by the way people look at each other, and adults never notice children." 

"Milord Fox," Martin said with a strangled voice. "The Royal Guards are coming." 

"Oh, shit!" I ran to the window and looked out anxiously. "What are the odds that they are on parade and not heading here?" As they stopped out front I sighed. "So much for that hope." 

A loud voice rang out, demanding that the Crown Prince be released, and I drew a deep breath. "We'd better face them now before this gets worse." 

As we left the vestibule for the front steps, I saw an imposing looking woman come sweeping out of the inner chambers with Scully and the Amazons I had seen earlier. From the looks on their faces, I knew that it had gotten worse. Sending up prayers to every god I knew, I followed them with the prince. 

"What is the meaning of this?" the older woman demanded. "We do not have any prince in our Shrine." 

The man I had punched suddenly sighted us and pointed. "There he is! There's the scoundrel who hit me and kidnapped the prince!" 

Everyone turned and looked at us. No, Scully glared at me. I swallowed hard. "I - I can explain," I said feebly. 

Scully stalked over to me, her teeth gritted together. "I thought I told you to stay inside. Did you not hear me tell you that?" She turned to the soldier. "Did you not hear me tell him to stay inside - and for you to watch him?" 

Martin paled in the face of her ire. "He - was hitting the boy. Milord Fox thought he was - rescuing the boy. I mean, the Prince." 

The Prince's tutor started blustering, but the older woman held up an imperious hand and everyone silenced before her. She looked over the guards and Master Rupert, over the Prince and me, then gestured for the Prince to come forward. He did quickly and I didn't blame him - the woman had a way of looking at you that made you want to beg for mercy. The Mother-Abbess cast a look over his dirtied clothing and then gently took the Prince's chin in her hand, turning his face to examine the reddened ear. 

"This boy has been struck repeatedly." Her voice was mild but the look she aimed towards the tutor made him blanch. 

"He fell! I never touched him!" 

The Mother-Abbess turned back to the Prince. "Is this true? Did you fall?" 

The Prince looked at her gravely. "Yes - after Master Rupert hit me the first time." 

"The first time? He hit you more than once?" The Mother-Abbess turned towards me and I swallowed hard. "And you witnessed this?" 

I nodded numbly. "Not - not the first one. I heard him scream, and I ran outside. I thought - I thought that he was being kidnapped. That man - " I pointed towards the tutor, "said he wasn't paid enough to take the boy's lip. Then he boxed his ear." 

The Mother-Abbess smiled and nodded once, and I felt as if a benediction of sorts had been bestowed. The she turned back to the other Amazon. "Call out the House Guard for escort duty for our Sister and her charges." 

The Captain of the Royal Guards drew himself up. "We will take charge of His Highness - and the slave as well." 

"I'm sure you will," The Mother-Abbess said dryly. "And we'll make sure that they arrive home safely and that their story is heard." 

A dozen Amazon guards appeared on her words and she turned to their Captain. "See that His Highness and Fox are escorted into the presence of the King and that their story is heard, then return here and report." The Captain saluted her and ranged her guard in a protective array in which the Prince, Scully, our guardsman, and I were secured in the middle, while the Royal Guards trailed behind us. In this strange procession, we headed towards the palace. 

As we walked, I suddenly felt a small hand slip into mine. Surprised, I looked down at the prince. 

"I never told you 'thank you'," he said quietly. 

"It was an honor to serve, Prince John." 

He looked up at me wistfully. "Do you think you could call me Gibson? I like it better. When people call me 'John', they're always comparing me to my grandfather." 

"Your grandfather was a good man and a good king. You should be honored to be compared to him." 

"Not when it's always an unfavorable comparison," he sighed. 

I knew full well the sting of never being able to measure up. Squeezing his hand, I said reassuringly, "That won't always be the case - Gibson. Someday you'll grow up and become a great and wise king yourself." 

He smiled up at me in delight, the first little-boy gesture I had seen so far. "Sometimes my father lets me visit my uncle at Beauforte. Maybe this spring, when the weather turns warm?" 

"I think Lord Walter would enjoy that immensely, Gibson." I smiled at him. "And so would I." 

I had expected the prince to release my hand as we entered the castle grounds but instead Prince Gibson tightened his hold. I squeezed his hand reassuringly as our escort marched us straight through the courtyard and into the main castle. Behind us, I could hear the Captain of the Royal Guards dismissing all but his Lieutenant before following us. Down the corridor we marched, flanked on all sides by our Amazon protectors, right into the Council Room where the meeting of the Barons was taking place. For a moment, there was a sea of faces around us - the King looking startled, Earl Spender angry - then I saw Lord Walter and the look of cold fury on his face made my knees go weak. 

"What is the meaning of this?" Earl Spender demanded. "How dare you burst in upon His Majesty like this? And what is His Royal Highness doing with you?" 

The Captain of the Amazon House Guards ignored Earl Spender, saluting the King instead. "Your Majesty, the Mother-Abbess of the Shrine of Artemis sends her most reverent greetings, her warmest blessings, and her deepest apologies for intruding in such a manner, but this matter is of the utmost importance." 

King Jeffrey sat back in his throne and acknowledged the greeting. By Charter and tradition, the Amazons were independent of the King's rule and no king had ever been foolish enough to risk their ire, not when their strong fighting skills might be needed in future. 

"What is the situation and how does it involve my son?" 

"Outside the steps of our Shrine, His Royal Highness was attacked by one who should have had his best interests at heart." 

At these words, the Prince's tutor strode forward, no doubt intending to attempt to turn the king's ire off himself and on someone else - probably me - counting on Spender's aid. Glancing over at the Earl, I thought that Master Rupert would have been better off if he had starting running in the other direction. 

"Your Majesty, this slave attacked me, struck me to the ground while the Prince and I were enjoying an educational walk through the town. Then he dared to lay hands on the Prince's Person, attempting to abduct him - " 

"Be quiet!" The King's voice filled the room and the man blanched and cowered back. I looked at the king in appreciative surprise - nothing I had seen of him so far had prepared me for this show of strength. "Come here, my son." 

Prince Gibson moved forward, still clutching at my hand so I was forced to follow, quickly going to my knees when the young prince stopped before the king. "Father, Fox didn't attack me. He tried to save me when Master Rupert struck me. Fox rescued me." 

"Ah, yes, the estimable Fox of whom I have heard so much from so many in recent days." The cold irony in the King's voice made me flush. "You may release His Highness' hand now, Fox - I doubt that he will be in need of 'rescue' here." Turning in his seat, the King said, "Lord Walter, perhaps you could take your young hero back to your chambers - I imagine he must be fatigued after such an adventure." 

"Of course, Your Majesty. Come, Fox." 

Lord Walter's voice was unemotional and I knew that he was furious with me for causing such a scene. I felt small, warm fingers squeeze mine reassuringly before releasing me, and I rose to follow my master out of the Hall. Scully would have accompanied us but, at that moment, the Captain of the Amazons called upon her to verify the tale. I felt her anxious eyes on my back as I followed Lord Walter and, for the first time in four months, I felt very, very alone. 

 

Walter 

The room guards were sitting at the table playing cards when we entered and, at a gesture from me, quickly retreated from the room into the hallway. No sooner had the door closed behind them than I turned and grasped Fox by the front of his tunic, slamming him back against the wall. 

"What in the hell do you think you were doing? Attacking the Royal Tutor, taking the prince from his custody - which was granted to him by Royal decree. Taking him into the Shrine, for the gods' sake! Are you completely mad?" 

I couldn't ever remember being this angry with Fox and, in truth, my anger was mixed with equal parts relief and terror. The thought of what could have happened to him had they believed Master Rupert's charges, of him being tortured to death for attempting to harm one of Royal Blood, made my blood run cold. I was just thankful that the Mother-Abbess had intervened. And then an insidious little voice whispered in my brain that perhaps the tutor had been right, that this had been an attempt on the prince by Fox. But no, that would mean that Scully and the Mother-Abbess were involved as well and, no matter how good my Fox's powers of persuasion, I could not see them extending that far. 

I looked into his face, searching for signs of truth or deceit, and instead saw fear and, on its heels, his own building anger. "What was I doing? I was saving a boy from being beaten in the streets, that's what I was doing! Beaten at the hands of the man who - as you say - was entrusted with his protection!" 

"You had no way of judging the situation! For all you knew, the boy could have run away and could have been being justly punished for his misbehavior." 

"Well, he should have run away! That man's a monster and he has no business being in charge of Gibson - the prince!" 

The familiarity of that name unaccountably flamed my ire. "Who gave you leave to address the prince in such a manner?" I demanded. 

"He did!" Fox snapped, his eyes blazing at me. "He asked me to call him Gibson - right before he told me that he hoped to spend some time this spring with you, his uncle. A man he obviously adores, but who is more concerned with propriety and legality than his own nephew's health and well-being!" 

Aghast and suddenly ashamed, my temper evaporated and I released him, backing away. "Fox - I - that's not fair. Of course I'm concerned about my nephew's health." 

He gave me a withering look. "Well, you couldn't prove it by your recent words and actions. Now if you'll excuse me, Master, I'm exhausted and I'm going to bed." 

He had already stormed out of the main room before I realized what was happening and the slam of the bedroom door galvanized me into action, reigniting my temper. I followed after him, intent on finishing this conversation, when a sharp sound caught my ears. The sound of a key turning in a lock. 

Blood roared in my ears and I pounded on the bedroom door. "Fox, open the door this minute or I swear I'll blister your ass every night for a month!" 

"No!" came the defiant retort from the other side of the door. "Not until you apologize!" 

"Apolo-" I thought I would have a stroke. The gall of the boy, telling me to apologize. "I will not apologize, and you will open this door! Now!" 

"No!" 

I growled, infuriated, and stormed back out of the chamber, aware of the startled looks from my men waiting in the hallway. No, I wasn't giving into the brat but I knew the futility of arguing through a thick door. And I had knowledge gained from my childhood, long winter days spent prowling about this older part of the castle and learning its secrets. Down the corridor, around the bend, and through a narrow doorway that had been unopened for years and that lead to another narrower corridor paralleling the main one, intended to allow servants - and spies - to move silently behind the scenes. Careful of the open steps to my left that led down to the lowest levels and to the postern gate, I let my fingers trail along the right wall until I reached a distinctive set of marks I had set there twenty years before. I placed my fingers into the depressions and pushed. 

The look on Fox's face would have been comical under other circumstances - he literally gaped at the sight of me coming out of a bookcase. I didn't give him a moment to utter a sound as I grabbed him roughly, tucked him under one arm, and proceeded to wear out the seat of his breeches with my hand. He began screeching and swearing, dancing on his toes and trying to get away, while I blistered every inch of his ass. When my hand began to hurt, I finally stopped, lifting him and tossing him onto the bed. 

"Don’t you ever, ever, lock a door on me, brat!" I snapped. 

His face was wet with tears but there was also defiance on it as he huddled back against the headboard. "Or what? You'll beat me again? Fuck me to prove you own me?" He pulled off his tunic, flinging it at me. "Well, go ahead - I can't stop you - but I'll hate you forever!" 

With a snarl, I reached out to grab his arm and dragged him over to the side of the bed. I would show this insufferable brat who was the master here. I roughly flipping him over onto his stomach and ripped off his pants, holding him down with one hand while I tore open the front of my own breeches. Not that he struggled. He lay there, quiescent and breathing hard, even when I grabbed his hips and pulled his ass up, positioning myself behind him. 

It was the slight shudder that made me pause on the verge of plunging myself into the unprepared body before me. A stifled sob, and my fury evaporated, as well as my arousal. 

I let go of him and fled. 

 

Chapter Six 

Fox 

I didn't move until I heard the door shut behind him, then I collapsed on the bed and gave way to the shaking that seemed to be trying to tear my body apart. What in hell had I been thinking? Locking him out of his own bedroom? Daring him to rape me? I was lucky that he hadn't - yet - although I hadn't the slightest idea why he had stopped. 

For now. 

He would be back. If I were lucky, he'd beat me senseless but keep me. He seemed to like having me in his bed, at least until this last week. Maybe he had stopped because he was so disgusted with me that he couldn't bear to touch me anymore. I caught my breath on a sob. Maybe he was so angry with me that he would send me to the barracks. Or sell me. 

I clutched my pillow to my chest, feeling as if my heart was tearing in half. What would be worse, seeing him take another to his bed or never seeing him again? 

 

Walter 

I moved blindly through the corridor, not even knowing my destination, running from the memory of what I had been about to do. Never mind that I owned the boy and had the right to do whatever I wanted to him. The fact of the matter was that I loved him and the thought that I had been willing to hurt one I loved with every fiber of my being made me nauseas. 

"Lord Walter!" A familiar voice and a strong hand caught my arm. "What's wrong? Where's Fox?" 

"Our rooms," I managed to gasp. "Oh god, Scully! What did I do?" 

Somehow, I found myself in the deserted courtyard with my head under the pump, cold water cascading over me, shocking me and restoring the sense that I seemed to have lost at the sight of Fox in armed custody. I pushed away from the pump, sitting down on the low wall as I attempted to set myself to rights. I caught the rough toweling Scully tossed at me and rubbed it over my head, accepting with the other hand a mug containing some kind of liquid. At this moment, I wouldn't have cared if it had been poison - in fact, I would have cheerfully drained the glass. 

"Are you ready to make sense?" Scully asked me quietly. "Do I need to summon a Healer or dispose of a body?" 

My stomach roiled at that but I managed to control it, shaking my head. "Fox is alive and unharmed. By his own merits, not mine." 

Her eyes coolly studied my face as she nodded. "I was afraid that you would react badly to that scene in the Hall." 

I let out a short, sharp bark of laughter. "React badly? That’s an understatement. I slammed him into the wall and raked him over the coals for saving the life of my nephew, then I paddled his ass and nearly raped him out of anger." 

Carefully, she said, "It is not uncommon for one to lash out at a loved one when they emerge unscathed from dire peril. And Milord Fox has a positive genius for both getting into such peril and for inflaming one's anger afterwards." 

"The boy is second to none in that," I said wryly. I glanced over at her. "I suppose that everything he said is true." 

Scully nodded. "I didn't witness it but one of my men was with Fox and he says that they heard screaming and cries for help. They went to assist, and it was only when they were back in the Shrine that Martin realized who Fox had rescued." 

I sighed. "He said I was more interested in appearance and legality than my own nephew's health." 

"Milord Fox's mouth is well known to react before his brain engages. Anyone who knows you knows how you feel about Prince John." 

"Gibson," I murmured then looked over at Scully. "He asked Fox to call him 'Gibson'." 

"The prince seemed quite fond of Fox," she said neutrally. "It appeared to be mutual." 

"He has a good heart - Fox, I mean. It gets him into trouble, but he means well." 

"You love him, don't you?" Scully asked quietly and, since this appeared to be an evening for confidences, I nodded. "I don't need to tell you that it is dangerous. Even if Spender doesn't manage to get his hands on Fox, there's no guarantee he'll stay with you after he's freed." 

"I know," I said with a sigh. "He doesn't know how I feel - and I'm not going to tell him so don't say a word. I would rather he decided to stay on his own, rather than out of obligation to me." Scully nodded and I rose to my feet again. "Thank you, Scully, for helping me pull myself back together." 

She smiled. "It is an honor to serve. Now I think we'd best go see what shape your boy is in." 

 

I entered the bedchamber and found it in darkness except for the single candle by the bed. A slender, pale figure rose from where he knelt on the floor and slowly approached me. He was naked, the candlelight gleaming off his skin as he knelt again before me. I was so entranced by the picture that he presented that it took me a moment to realize that he was holding up the strap, offering it to me. 

"I had no right to act as I did, Master," he said quietly. "Please, punish me but don't send me away." 

I sent the strap whirling into the corner and swept Fox up and into my arms. In a moment, I was sitting on the bed, cuddling a surprised but appreciative Fox on my lap. 

"I'm sorry," I murmured against the warm curve of his neck. "You were right; I did owe you an apology but I was too stiff-necked to admit that I was wrong." 

"No, Master, it was my fault," he said, burying his face tighter into my shoulder. "You owe me nothing, and I owe you my life, my obedience, my heart, my body. I will try harder, Master, I swear it. Please, please don't send me away." Firm, warm lips began pressing kisses over my neck, my face, as if to sweeten the words, which were already the sweetest I had ever heard. 

"Send you away? I could no more live without you than without my heart." I lifted his chin so that my mouth could claim his, kissing him till we were both breathless and aroused. 

He dropped his face back into the curve of my shoulder, murmuring, "You may want to beat me when you hear this. My - my friends - the Brothers I told you about - said that you might be part of a plot to gain the throne for yourself. That you may have obtained me to get information on Spender's plans to do the same. I told them that you weren't involved, that you couldn't be, but - " 

"But a little corner of your mind kept whispering that it could be true." I smiled wryly at the surprise on his face. "My brother said something similar about you. I tried to push it away, but I was afraid that every time I touched you - that you would be able to sense my doubts." 

"And I feared it might be true and that you were tiring of me since you couldn’t learn anything. I should have known better and trusted you more." He pressed a kiss against my skin, his mouth moving downward to caress what he could reach of my neck above my collar. "I want you so badly, my master. I need you so much." 

I kissed him again, feeling both his need and his arousal, and rolled us over onto the bed, pressing his lithe body into the mattress beneath my clothed body. I released his mouth and said, solemnly, "I swear, my Fox, you will never have to fear harm at my hands while in my bed." 

"I know," he said with equal solemnity, then leaned up to kiss me hard. "Take me, Master. I need you to ride me long and hard." 

I smiled back down at him. "I think I can manage that, although you may regret it in the morning." 

Fox didn't seem to care about that, eagerly helping divest me of my clothes before attacking my body with mouth and hands. After a week of abstinence, we were both ablaze with our need, kissing and touching as if our physical senses alone could reassure our doubts. And perhaps they could. With every moan Fox uttered, every whispered plea, every honeyed endearment, I felt the poison of doubt being lifted from my heart and soul. Thrusting deep within him, I felt as if we were no longer two separate beings but instead were one heart, one soul. His pleasure and mine were inseparable, spiraling upward in an intensity of passion that I had never known before, until we both burst into flame and fell, phoenix-like, scorched but reborn into a new life. 

We lay, entangled and breathless, for a long time before I could rouse myself enough to kiss the soft hair under my chin and pull the blankets up to cover us. Fox moved slightly, helping to tuck us under the warmth against the coming night chill, then settled back down with his head on my chest, his legs entwined with my own. His fingers traced shapes on my stomach as I waited patiently for him to say whatever he was trying to find a way to voice. 

"Master?" 

"Yes, my heart?" I could feel the smile against my chest - it appeared that he liked me calling him that. 

"When do you think we can go home?" 

His voice was wistful and I felt an equal wave of longing wash over me. Once again, I was on a hill overlooking the castle, a warm body nestled between my legs, a feeling of tenderness filling me with contentment. I tightened my hold on him. 

"Tomorrow. We will head home tomorrow." 

He sighed just once, a deep sigh of contentment, and I felt his body relax as he drifted into sleep.

Yes. We would head home tomorrow. And, the Gods willing, we would be able to make everything right between us.


	4. Part 4 - Lost

Chapter 1

Fox

We traveled home in easy stages for which I was grateful since my backside was tender from both the warming it had received and our reconciliation afterward. Lord Walter was silent for the first part of our journey, a fact that I attributed to his leave-taking from his brother. The king had not been pleased to lose his company three days early and his dark glance at me had left no doubt as to whom he blamed for his brother's change of plans. I had seen the conflict of desires on my master's face, his sorrow at giving his brother pain mixed with eagerness to be away from Court, and thought that King Jeffrey deliberately made it harder for Lord Walter. It wasn't as if the King was alone — he had a wife and a son and scores of nobles ready to fawn on him at a lift of his finger — so I thought he should behave more graciously towards his brother. Perhaps I was being uncharitable, perhaps the King had secret sorrows that I was unaware of and only his brother could ease, but I was not inclined to be particularly charitable towards the man who had taken away my freedom and would have no compunction about handing me over to a monster like Sir John, the Earl of Spender.

So it was with a light heart that I rode through the open gate of the Town and on the road towards home. My friends knew I was well and would continue to search for my sister. Prince Gibson had found a moment before I left to assure me that all was well with him and that the dreaded tutor had been discharged. My master and I were reconciled and closer than ever. And we were heading home.

By the end of the first day, the brooding look had gradually left Lord Walter's face and he abandoned his solitary riding to take up a place beside me. I knew that my face reflected my pleasure at his presence beside me, and he indulged me with some tales about his youth. I know he saw the wistful look on my face as he talked about traveling about the Continent and he reached out to touch my knee affectionately.

"When the situation here becomes more stable, you and I shall do some traveling. Would you like that, cub?"

"Oh, yes!" I said eagerly. "I've read about so many wonderful places but, until recently, never traveled further than my home. Where would we go?"

"Italy — there are many interesting cities to see there. Greece, if we can manage that." He smiled over at me, a wicked twinkle in his eyes. "I would love to spend some time with you on one of the smaller Greek islands. It's so warm that the natives run around with little clothing — perhaps we could get a little color on that pale skin of yours."

I flushed at the idea of running around nearly naked in public, equally aroused and embarrassed at the idea. Lord Walter laughed and leaned closer, murmuring, "You blush so beautifully, my cub. Such a contrast between my shy slave in public and my wanton bedmate."

I know that the flush on my face intensified. "I - want to please you, Master."

"You do please me, Fox. You please me very much. And it's not very noble of me to tease you like this."

"I don't mind," I said honestly. "I'd rather have your company than anyone else's - even when you tease or scold or - or punish me."

He looked at me with a curious expression and said, slowly, "I don't believe that I have even been so flattered."

I looked down at my horse's neck. "I doubt that, Master. I was not raised in the Court. I don't have the honeyed words or fine manners of the lords and ladies."

"Thank the gods for that." Lord Walter's voice was gruff and I was worried that he was angry with me. "I like you as you are, my Fox - honest, natural, open. A bit impulsive and headstrong, which gets you into trouble, but I'd rather have that than some insincere Court slut looking to engender favors or enhance their standing by submitting to my caresses."

There was sadness as well as a hint of bitterness to his words and my heart ached for him. "Master, it is no trial to me to submit in that way."

His face softened at that and he squeezed my knee. "I know, my heart, and if this weren't an open road, I would reward that declaration appropriately. As it is, my thanks will have to wait till we can be more private."

I flushed again, this time from heat instead of embarrassment. "Yes, Master," I murmured. "How - how soon till we stop for the night?"

He chuckled and released my knee. "Too long by far, and I think I had best ride apart for awhile before I forget myself." He urged his horse forward to join Captain Scully at the head of the column. My eyes followed him the entire way and I found myself looking forward to the night.

 

We rode into the courtyard of Beauforte late the next afternoon. I breathed a sigh of relief as I came out of the saddle. Two days riding had not been kind to my abused backside although Lord Walter had refused to add to my discomfort by taking me during the previous night's halt, and had instead pleasured me with hand and mouth. I flushed, remembering that, and could hardly wait to be back in our own bed again.

Lord Walter must have seen my blush because he smiled and put an arm around me. "Head on to our rooms and get your bath. William will get my bags."

"I'm fine," I protested.

"Which is why you've been wincing every time we hit a rough spot in the road," he said with a mock growl. "Go to, brat. I'll be along shortly."

With a nod, I headed to the bathing chamber and stripped off travel-stained garments before sinking into the gently bubbling water with a blissful sigh. It was good to be home. No matter how nice it had been to see my old friends, I couldn't help but feel sad and uneasy in Town, and it was a relief to be safe within these walls. I closed my eyes and relaxed in the warm water.

A moment later, I felt someone shake me and muttered, "G'way."

"Fox, love, don't fall asleep here. Lord Walter will be sore vexed if you drown."

"Maggie?" I managed to open an eye and smiled to see her familiar face.

"Aye, my lad, and I'm glad to see you home safe and sound." She set a plate of meat pies on the floor by the bathing pool. "It's been too quiet around here without you."

"Unjust, Maggie," I said. "I haven't caused that much trouble."

"Are you going to tell me that you didn't get into trouble while you were gone?" she said tartly and I flushed. "I thought as much. Out with you, lad, and into bed."

"But Lord Walter - "

"Will see to himself for one night. You're no good to him half-dead-asleep or drowned."

I let Maggie shepherd me out of the tub and into bed, secretly relishing the attention. I had missed this, had taken her mothering for granted, and I never intended to do so again. Before long, I was settling in bed in a nightrobe, sipping a mug of mulled wine while Maggie fluffed pillows and clucked over me indulgently. Lord Walter entered the chamber and raised an eyebrow.

"Enjoying yourself, brat?" he asked dryly.

Maggie turned her attention on him with all the ferocity of a mother cat recovering a lost kit, chivvying him out of his clothes, into the bath and his bedgown, then into bed. Seeing her treat him like a little boy made me grin but I said nothing. Finally, after making up the fire, Maggie left us sitting in bed with our mugs of wine and the plate of meat pies.

Lord Walter gave me a mock glare. "Don't even start."

I couldn't help the snicker that escaped me. "If you could have seen your face when she went after you with that washcloth - "

It was a good thing that I had set down my mug for Lord Walter pounced, tickling me till I howled for mercy. Then he bent his head and kissed me thoroughly before settling back among the pillows with me cradled against his side. We were both too tired to do more this evening but were blissfully aware that there was time and plenty to spare.

"It's good to be home, my cub," he said with a contented sigh. Silently agreeing, I snuggled up close and went to sleep.

 

Walter

It was good to be home. I settled back into the daily routines with a sigh of relief, spending the morning hours on estate business in my office. Fox became even more of an asset to me in this area. His quick understanding let me turn much of the record keeping over to him, freeing up my time for more complex matters concerning my vassals. We had a difference of opinion regarding what constituted a detailed report but, once I had reiterated my need for what Fox referred to as "useless bureaucratic bullshit", I found that I could rely on Fox to sort out general matters and draw up the necessary papers. That freed me to spend my mornings riding about the estate as we prepared for winter, and it was a pleasant relief to return from a morning in the saddle to find a neat set of scrolls and accounts awaiting my signature.

Invariably, my feet would then lead me to the library where I would find Fox sprawled on the rug before the fire, his nose buried in a book and his thoughts a million miles away. I would settle into my chair and watch him indulgently, waiting for that moment when he would return to this world. Finishing a chapter of whatever book he was reading, he would sigh deeply and look up, his eyes distant and dreamy until they fell on me. Then his eyes would glow and his face light up, and he would readily accept my silent invitation to settle in my lap with a welcoming kiss. Inevitably, we would take our luncheon in the library and spend the rest of the afternoon reading and talking companionably.

I marveled at this - I had never spent so much time with a lover without becoming bored by him or her. Fox never bored me - entranced, enchanted, and infuriated me, perhaps, but never bored me. His love of esoteric subjects amused me, although at times when he went on and on about his latest finding I was tempted to gag him. And his complete abandonment in bed, that amazing combination of fresh innocence and wanton lust, never failed to arouse me.

But it was the brief glimpses I had of his inner sorrow that bound me to him, heart and soul. It was there in the back of his mind, betrayed only by a brief flicker in his expressive eyes when a painful subject was touched upon. His sister, certainly, was a source of grief to him despite Sister Melissa's reassurances that Samantha was safe and well. The loss of his parents and his home also grieved him, although I had the uneasy feeling that this was less painful to him than his sister's disappearance. And then there was that odd look I caught in his eyes from time to time before his guard snapped back up into place - I couldn't put my finger on the source of that pain although I had a suspicion that it had to do with me. For the life of me I couldn't figure out what I had done to cause him such grief. I had thought that our mutual suspicions had been laid to rest, but the sight of that sorrow made me more determined to ease his pain in any way that I could.

One afternoon, a few days before midwinter, we sat in the library as usual. Fox was sitting on the floor at my feet, his head resting on my knee while I absently stroked his hair. Last night's lovemaking had lasted well into the early morning hours and both of us were pleasantly fatigued today so we were content to drowse idly before the fire.

Fox blinked open his eyes and yawned. "I forgot to tell you," he murmured sleepily. "The Chief Forrester sent a message for you. He's located a tree and it will be delivered tomorrow."

"Good," I said with satisfaction. "Maggie's been anxiously waiting for that and at this time of year, the last thing we want is for her to get upset."

Fox tilted his face up, puzzled. "Maggie's been waiting for a tree? Is she planning on starting an arborium?"

I chuckled. "For Yule, silly." He frowned, still puzzled, and now I was confused. "Or did your family celebrate Saturnalia instead?"

He flushed and looked down. "My family didn't celebrate at midwinter."

I stared at him in disbelief. "Not celebrate - then what did you do?"

He shrugged. "Father spent most of the day at the Saturnalia celebration at Court and Mother took Samantha to visit her family for the week of Yule."

"And you? What did you do?"

"With the house quiet, I usually got some extra studying done."

The thought of Fox rattling around his family home all alone while all around him celebrated the Midwinter made me so angry that my hand tightened involuntarily in his hair. I murmured an apology and released him. He must have seen how I felt because he said, softly, "It doesn't matter. I'm not a child and haven't been for years."

It mattered to me, though I knew better than to say anything about it to Fox, knowing he would retreat into himself. So instead I made a private resolution to give Fox the best Midwinter of his life while I smiled and murmured, "No, you certainly are not a child."

He grinned and crawled up into my lap, nuzzling my neck. "Glad you noticed, Master. Care to do anything about that?"

I chuckled and wrapped my arms around him. "You are insatiable, my brat." And then there was no more talking for a long, long time.

 

Chapter Two

Fox

Over the next few days, I knew that something strange was happening around the castle. For one thing, Lord Walter was suddenly very busy in the afternoons, occupied with something else instead of spending time with me in the library as usual. For another, everyone seemed to have trouble meeting my eyes, turning away from me with smothered smiles. In the past, this would have terrified me as I would have been certain that Lord Walter was tired of me, but even an idiot like myself could see that he was fond of me, and his attention in bed at night left me in no doubt of his continued interest.

So I knew that something pleasantly mysterious was happening and I had the suspicion that it had to do with Midwinter. I had no personal expectations for the holiday but if there was to be a feast, I knew that I would at least get to watch the celebrations. Maggie didn't prepare any of the guest rooms so I knew that Lord Walter wasn't expecting any other company for the holiday - which was a relief as I wasn't looking forward to renewing any Court acquaintances, with the exception of Prince Gibson. It appeared that it would just be ourselves celebrating this holiday, and that was more than enough for me.

On the afternoon before Midwinter, Lord Walter suddenly emerged from his all-absorbing activities, telling me to run and put on my cloak and boots. Puzzled but eager for his company, I obeyed and when I ran down the steps, I found horses saddled and waiting.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Into the village," Lord Walter replied, swinging up into his saddle. "I thought you might enjoy the Midwinter Fair and I'm expected to light the Midwinter's Eve bonfire at sunset."

I nearly fell out of my saddle in excitement. "A fair? Really?"

Lord Walter chuckled in amusement. "Really, Fox. Although if you fall off your horse and break your neck, you will hardly be able to enjoy it."

He signaled to Captain Scully and we rode out with a small company of men. I chattered all the way to the village and Lord Walter listened indulgently as usual. Just before we got to the village, we turned off the main road onto a side one but I was surprised to see that Captain Scully continued on towards the village. I looked at Lord Walter, puzzled.

"Scully plans to spend the evening with Sister Melissa following the Amazon traditions, so Lt. Lamana will look after us this evening." Lord Walter gave me a mock-stern look. "And you will behave yourself, brat, and not go running off looking for trouble."

I looked at him indignantly. "When have I ever — oh, all right," I conceded as he began counting off on his fingers. "I swear that I'll stay close to you or Jerry."

"Good."

A village lad ran up to hold our horses' heads as we dismounted and Lord Walter tossed him a coin, nearly making the lad incoherent with thanks. Then Lord Walter turned to me and handed me a small pouch.

"Here, Fox." Thinking that he wished me to hold it for him while he adjusted his cloak, I obediently stood with my hand out, the pouch on my palm. He looked at me in amusement. "Well, go ahead and take it. It's yours, to spend as you wish on sweets and the like."

My breath caught at that; it was highly unusual for a slave's owner to give him money, but then, Lord Walter was proving to be an unusual master. I threw my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Master!"

He laughed and hugged me back. "You are more than welcome, Fox. Just don't make yourself sick." He released me, ruffling my hair. "Now, go on and enjoy the fair. I've got to take care of a few things but I'll find you as soon as I'm done. Lamana, stay with Fox."

As Lord Walter walked away purposefully, I turned towards Lamana eagerly. Over the past weeks since I had intervened in Lamana's punishment, we had become friends and I relied on his knowledge in this area. "So what should we do first, Jerry?"

Lamana looked at me in amusement. "What, haven't you ever been to a fair?"

"No," I said honestly.

"Right. Pull the other one — it has bells on it."

I could feel myself flushing and turned away, heading towards the brightly colored booths. Lamana's hand grasped my shoulder, pulling me back around. "I'm sorry, Fox," he said sincerely. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I just don't understand — you lived in Town and you've never been to a fair?"

I looked at the toe of my boot, scuffling it in the dirt. "I've been to the Great Market, of course, and the shops, but the fairs were held outside the city and we weren't allowed to go."

A companionable arm went around my shoulder and Lamana grinned at me. "Lad, you don't know what you've been missing. Come on — let me show you around."

I can't remember ever having as much fun as I did that afternoon. Lamana had grown up in the village and had been to these fairs since a child. He delighted in showing me all the best parts of the fair. He knew where to find the best fruit pies and the best cider, the best places to watch the jongleurs and acrobats. And he seemed to know everyone at the fair and they all knew him. He treated me with all the casualness of a younger brother, dragging me into the middle of a game the village youths were playing. And he indulged me as I squandered Lord Walter's coppers on treats vaguely remembered from my childhood before dragging me off to see the amusements afforded by the traveling entertainers.

I was still laughing from the antics of a puppet show when Lord Walter caught up with us. I could see that he was pleased that I was enjoying myself even when he teased me about wearing more of the foodstuffs I had purchased than eating them. I just grinned and offered him my cone of sugared almonds, laughing as his own eyes lit up at the sight of that childhood treat.

It only lacked an hour till sunset so we slowly made our way through the merchant stalls on our way to the clearing where the bonfire had been laid out. Just before sunset, we reached the area for the bonfire and found me a good seat away from the crowd. As the sunlight began to fade, the air became chillier, and Lord Walter made certain that I had my cloak wrapped tightly around me, sending Lamana for a cup of mulled wine to keep me warm during the festivities to come.

"I've never been at this kind of celebration before. What's going to happen after the bonfire's lit?"

Lord Walter smiled at me. "Lots of hugging and kissing, giving each other good luck for the coming year. Later, at moonrise, the parents will take the younger ones home as the celebrations become a little - shall we say - earthier. And nine months from now, there'll be a fresh crop of young ones in the village."

"It's interesting how many cultures encourage fornication for the purpose of impregnation at winter festivals like this. Yule and Saturnalia are most familiar to us, but did you know that the Greeks had the Rural Dionysian celebration with this dance where they dressed like satyrs and carried around this really big phallus - "

Lord Walter stopped my speaking with his mouth - a very effective way to silence me, I must admit. "Fox, I would love to hear all about the various winter celebrations, but the sun is about to set." He kissed me again, briefly. "Now you be good and stay right here with Lamana till I come to fetch you."

"You won't come back right after lighting the bonfire?" I asked anxiously.

He shook his head. "I have to speak with the head of each household first, give a blessing for the upcoming year, but I'll be back as soon as I'm finished. And I mean it, Fox - stay put." He grinned at me. "I don't think you're ready for the education you'd get if you went wandering in the shadows tonight." He leaned closer, murmuring in my ear, "And I promise that we'll re-enact some of those pagan fornication rituals of our own later tonight."

I could feel myself blushing at that but I managed to retort, "I certainly hope so, although our ritual won't be as fruitful."

Lord Walter laughed at that, hugging and releasing me before turning to Lamana. "Keep a sharp eye on him, Lieutenant. The last thing I need is the villagers complaining about Fox interrupting them to research fertility customs."

Lamana chuckled as he handed me the mulled wine, settling down on a log laid on its side for our seats. "I can't remember the last time I saw Lord Walter enjoying himself like this," Lamana said, sipping on his wine and grinning.

"Really?" I said, surprised. "I thought he came to this festival every year. Doesn't he usually like it?"

Lamana looked at me strangely then said, slowly, "You really don't know, do you?"

"Know what?" I asked puzzled.

"What everyone in the damn castle - hell, what everyone in the village - knows. Lord Walter's a good man and I couldn't ask for a better soldier to serve under, but he's got the fiend's own temper when he's vexed. And it takes precious little to rile his temper. That is, before you came along."

I flushed and ducked my head. "I'm - I'm glad that my presence calms Lord Walter - and makes life easier for everyone - "

Lamana snorted at that. "Well, calms isn't the word I'd use but he certainly is content. Fox," he said, his voice suddenly hesitant. "Are you happy?" I looked up at him, aware that my whole heart was in my eyes, and heard a sharp intake of breath. "Gods, Fox. I'd hoped - but not even the Captain was certain - " He broke off suddenly. "I'm going to get you another cup of wine - stay put."

I nodded, but I had caught sight of activity near the bonfire and I wouldn't have moved from my seat for anything. Lord Walter strode into the clearing, a fiery torch in his hand, looking for all the world like Prometheus bringing fire to man. I caught my breath at the sight of him, so tall and proud in bearing, like a god or a mythic warrior. Pride swelled in me, pride at belonging to this man.

The crowd hushed and he spoke out, clear and strong, in the tongue of the local people. The words were unfamiliar to me but the meaning was clear. They washed over me and the assembled crowd with all the power and magic of the ancient race who had ruled this land long before Caesar had brought his legions to these shores. And I realized the simple truth of it: kings and kingdoms were here only a fleeting moment of time but the Land endured, eternally bestowing blessings on its chosen children.

Lord Walter set the torch into the bonfire and it caught immediately, roaring into life. There was a general cheer from among the spectators - evidently this was a good sign - and then everyone was turning to their family and friends, hugging them and bestowing kisses for luck in the upcoming year. As Lamana's own family descended on him, I was suddenly aware that I was the only one here who had no family or friends to bestow good wishes upon me. My throat tightened - this was all too familiar a reminder of past years when I had been left on my own amid the celebrations in the streets. Here, even here, I was alone. Suddenly, all I wanted was to get on my horse, ride back to the castle, and hide in the library. I stumbled to my feet, ready to run, and found myself caught in a sudden warm embrace.

"Happy Yule, Fox," murmured a familiar voice in my ear.

A rush of joy flowed through me, and I flung my arms around the solid bulk holding me. No, I was not alone, not any longer, nor had I been forgotten amidst the celebration. I turned my head blindly, finding the familiar mouth, and murmured against it, "Happy Yule, Walter."

A heady kiss robbed me of breath for a moment and then he released me with a sigh. "Well, I must do my duty, but I'll return to take you home shortly."

I nodded and smiled at him, content to wait now that I knew I wasn't alone. Hell, I would have waited all night if he had asked me. "I'll be right here."

I watched fondly as he went off to bless each household and picked up my mug. Finding that it was empty, I looked around for Lamana, but he was still being hugged and kissed by his family which seemed to include half the village — although I had a feeling that a few of the young women were more than kissing cousins. The almonds had made me thirsty and I glanced around to see where Lamana had gotten the wine. To one side of the bonfire, a kettle had been set up and a small group of villagers was gathered around it, so I made my way over to them. There was a look of surprise when I held out my mug but the old woman at the kettle readily filled it, murmuring what sounded like a blessing as she handed it back to me. One of the young women said something to the others - obviously a ribald jest because the others burst into laughter and one of the young men slapped me companionably on the back. I had no idea what they said but I smiled politely and made my way back to Lamana before he could miss me.

Settling back down on my log seat, I took a sip from my mug and was surprised to find that it wasn't wine. It was something sweeter and heavier with a bit of a honey taste, and it was better than anything I had ever tasted. Thirstily, I drained my mug.

Lamana turned back to me as the last of his family headed home for the evening. "Are you doing all right, Fox? Not cold, are you? Need any more wine?"

A pleasant warmth was running through my body despite the growing night chill and I couldn't imagine ever being cold again. I grinned at him, feeling pleased with myself and the world in general. "No, thanks. I gotta cup for myself."

"Got - " He frowned at me. "You left here, after both Lord Walter and I told you to stay put?"

"I did stay put," I said indignantly. "But I don't think any harm could come to me at that short a distance." I gestured towards the kettle.

Lamana swung around, frowning, looking in the direction I pointed and then his eyes suddenly got wide. "Shit! Fox - you didn't - " He grabbed my mug and tasted the remnants. "You did. Hell, we've got to find Lord Walter and get you out of here."

Keeping a firm grip on my arm, he tugged me through the crowd, ignoring my protests. Although actually, when I thought about it, finding Lord Walter sounded like a wonderful idea…

 

Walter

Lt. Lamana pushed his way through the crowd towards me, one hand wrapped firmly around Fox's arm. "Sir, I think we'd best get Milord Fox home - and quickly."

I glanced over at Fox and saw that he was standing with his eyes closed, humming slightly to himself. Obviously, the young man had drunk one too many cups of wine tonight and I supposed that Lamana was worried that he'd either be sick or do something silly. I wasn't too worried - he was safe with us and I could see that Fox was one of those happy drunks.

I smiled as I shook my head at Fox. "How many cups of mulled wine did you drink, cub?"

He shrugged and lost his balance, collapsing against me with a laugh. "Don' rem'ber. Three or four." He held up five fingers. "I think."

"Two cups of wine," Lamana said and then added, with a significant jerk of his head towards the bonfire, "And one cup from the kettle."

My eyes widened at that. Although I had never drunk from that kettle, I knew that traditionally it was a very potent batch of mead made by the local women. It was also rumored to be a powerful aphrodisiac. I glanced over at Lamana. "You're certain?"

He nodded. "I'm sorry, my lord. I was speaking with my family and he was never more than a few feet away from me. He was so pleased with himself that he hadn't disobeyed your orders."

"Trust the brat to get into trouble while trying to stay out of trouble. Are the rumors about that mead true?"

Lamana nodded, a rueful look on his face. "All too true - from personal experience. It'd be best if we got him away from all this before the full effect sets in."

I agreed and sent Lamana off to gather his troop and ready the horses, then slid one arm around Fox's waist to help steady him. He gave me a smoldering look and nestled closer.

"We goin' home now, Master?"

"Yes, my cub." As quickly as possible, I thought silently.

"Good." He nuzzled my neck. " 'Bout time we started on those forn'cation rituals."

I laughed and disentangled us. "When we get home, if you don't mind, brat. I have no intention of entertaining the villagers."

He pouted as I firmly propelled him towards the waiting horses. I mounted quickly, watching Lamana settle the troops, and turned back to see that Fox was still attempting to mount his horse. As he tried and failed to hold his stirrup steady, I chuckled.

"You'll fall off and break your neck, idiot. Come here." I held a hand down to pull him up in front of me, holding him securely with one arm wrapped around his waist as we set off towards home. I heard him laugh and smiled as I leaned forward slightly. "What, Fox?"

"Just 'membering," he said in a dreamy voice. "Last time we rode like this."

I was puzzled. "When I brought you back from the village that time you disobeyed me?"

"Um - not that time." I could almost feel the heat from the flush on his face. "Before. When you first brought me home."

I liked the way that he said 'home' and tightened my hold. "I remember. You were so stiff, so frightened of me at first. And then you fell asleep in my arms."

"Not frightened," he said hazily. "Well, little bit 'bout what it would be like. Worried wouldn't please you."

I chuckled and squeezed him. "I trust that you have no doubts about that now."

I felt a soft laugh vibrate his chest and rubbed my hand over his flat stomach. Fox sighed and leaned back against my chest, opening his body for my exploration. I took full advantage of the invitation and ran my hand over the swelling mound of his erection, hearing his gasp of pleasure.

"Like that, my cub?"

"Yes," he moaned. "Oh Gods, yes."

I felt his hand brush against mine as he quickly unlaced the front of his breeches, then he grabbed my hand again and pressed it back against the hardness of his aroused member. My hand closed over it automatically, and he dropped his head back on my shoulder, softly moaning his approval. He wiggled against me, stirring my own flesh, and I nuzzled his neck. Thinking that it would be best to take the edge off his hunger now, I continued stroking him as we rode towards home. His pleasured moans and gasps intoxicated me, going straight to my head like the mead that he had drunk earlier. I wanted to drink him down, fill every part of me with his essence until there was no hunger or thirst left within me. Since that was not possible at the moment, I contented myself with teasing and tormenting my young lover, and by the time we came in sight of the castle, he was so tightly strung that he was almost vibrating in my arms. One more stroke and a little pressure in the right place and he came hard within my hand, his cries of completion muffled by my mouth.

We entered the castle and my troops quickly led their horses towards the barrack stables, no doubt eager to start their own celebrations. With a last teasing squeeze, I released Fox and dismounted, then led my horse into the main stable, giving Fox a few minutes to recover. I listened with a smug grin to him swearing under his breath and I was thankful that the stable lads had been given the night off.

I should have remembered that the Gods do not like smug attitudes. Neither, apparently, did Fox.

As I turned to remove the saddle from my horse, Fox slid down into my arms and it was evident from the hardness that brushed against my leg that my pleasuring had merely fanned the flames of his need. Desire clearly burned in his eyes and he locked his mouth on mine. To my surprise, I found myself maneuvered out of the stall and into the hay room where a push reminded me of his strength. I went sprawling backward onto the bales and Fox followed me down, his hands feverishly pulling clothing open.

"Fox - wait - " I gasped but he was kissing me again, rubbing his body against mine. He had not refastened his breeches after my earlier teasing and our flesh rubbed together, making me cry out at the sheer heat of his body against mine. He was hungry with lust, and his mouth and hands were everywhere. I felt awash with sensations — the rough cloth of my cloak behind me, the slick firmness of his skin against mine — and suddenly realized that his own clothes had been discarded.

"Wait — someone might come — "

I heard a muffled laugh from somewhere in the region of my belly. "Someone damned well better come." He moved back up my body, kissing every inch of bared skin until he was lying flat over my body.

"We'll be heard," I protested around a mouth that seemed determined to devour mine. "Or seen."

He pushed back up to straddle my body, his eyes glowing feverishly. "I wouldn't care right now if you took me in the Hall with the whole castle watching."

"That's the mead talking — "

I gasped, suddenly incoherent with lust, as I watched Fox rise up on his knees and thrust a slick finger into his ass, preparing himself to be taken. It was the most erotic thing I had ever seen. His head was thrown back, his body taut with mead-induced lust and the effort to relax for my penetration. I was struck speechless, watching this half-wild creature writhing above me, and I felt my own body harden even more. And then he was pressing backwards and down, pushing himself onto my cock. I gasped at the intensity of sensation - the feel of his tight channel around my flesh, the sight of his body moving up and down on me, the sounds of his pleasure that now fell continuously from his lips. The sight of the tip of his tongue coming out to moisten those lips nearly drove me out of my mind and, with a growl, I grabbed his head and pulled it down to mine. Ravishing his mouth with my own, I thrust my hips up, driving him down deeper onto my cock. Convulsions racked him and I felt the hot pulsing between our bodies at the same time as I heard his cry and it triggered my own release.

Clutching him tightly to me, I felt the last shudders run through our bodies. "God, Fox," I gasped. "I can't believe that I just did this."

There was a wicked chuckle from my young lover. "What? You never tumbled someone in the stables?"

"Oddly enough, no." I let my hand run over his back, enjoying the feel of the sweat-slick skin. "I've led a sheltered life."

"Obviously." Fox rocked back and I groaned at the sensation of his body clenching my cock, still buried deep inside him. I wrapped an arm around him, stilling his movements.

"I'm not doing this again," I said firmly. "Not here in a cold, drafty stable when a warm, comfortable bed lies just across the courtyard."

"Good point," Fox said, pushing himself up and off me in a single graceful movement. He caught up his scattered clothes and began pulling them on. I lay there for a moment, amazed that he had the energy to do anything after our fiery coupling. He glanced over at me and grinned, then tossed me my pants.

"You might want to put these on, Master. It's getting chilly out there, and it would be a shame to damage anything - vital."

At the hot look in his eyes, I nearly groaned out loud and wondered how long it would take for the aphrodisiac to wear off. And I wondered if I would survive.

 

Chapter 3

Walter

It was early morning when I eased out of bed and dressed silently - not that anything short of a raid on the castle would have awakened my bedmate. His libido had held strong until well past midnight, and it was only through a combination of skill and stamina that I managed to wear him out before he could drive me into the ground. Fox now lay sprawled across the bed, looking like he'd been through a Bacchanalia, sporting several marks of passion across his back and buttocks. I stood there watching him for a moment, and the smile on my face was no doubt fondly idiotic, but no on was there to see it. Gently covering his body with the sheet, I left the room.

Maggie was just pulling sweet bread out of the oven when I entered the kitchens. I wound my way through the bustling cooks and helpers, settling at the trestle table near the baking ovens, and she looked up at me with a smile. "You look a little worn around the edges, Lord Walter."

I accepted the mug she handed me and sipped. "Fox got into the wrong brew at the festival. After he finally fell asleep, I ran for my life."

She patted my hand sympathetically. "Can't be that bad - I haven't seen you look that happy in years."

"Is it that obvious?"

"To anyone who knows you." She put in another set of loaves and then sat down at the table across from me, her eyes seriously studying my face. "What are you going to do about him?"

I sighed. "The only thing I can, Maggie. I petitioned the king to pardon Fox and his sister, to restore their freedom. I thought - I hoped it would make a good Yule present for Fox. Jeff turned my petition down." I shook my head, troubled that my beloved baby brother would deny me this when I asked so very little of him. "He seems to have an irrational jealousy of Fox."

"Not irrational," Maggie pointed out. "He knows that you love the boy more than life, and even as a child, Master Jeffrey was not inclined to share his favorite possessions. Especially you."

I nodded. "I remember. And in truth, I suppose that it's better that Fox stay a slave and in my care for now. Earl Spender is up to no good as far as that boy is concerned, and if Fox were free, no doubt he would spring some other trap on him. Besides - " I stopped and flushed.

"Besides - you don't want to lose him, and you think that if he were free, he would leave here like a shot," Maggie finished.

"I know that he likes me, Maggie. And the gods know that he enjoys what we have together physically. But he has a sister that he feels obliged to look after, and he has his University studies. What can I offer him but a broken down old soldier?"

"Love." Her eyes caught mine, held them captive. "Seems the boy has had little enough of that till now. And it seems like you have plenty of love to give him."

"I imagine that there are plenty others ready to love him, Maggie. He's a very lovable person."

Again I got that look of hers. "He seems very taken with you."

I smiled at her mockingly. "I'm a very lovable person, too."

She snorted. "Right. Well, if you don't take your lovable person out of my kitchen, nothing will be ready for the feast today."

I laughed and left Maggie to her cooking. Unfortunately, that left me with little to occupy my time. All my paperwork was done, the estate visits completed for now, and the other focus of my usual attention was tucked into my bed, sound asleep. For the first time in a long time, I had nothing to do.

I wandered into the Great Hall, taking a look at the decorations with satisfaction. I was not a religious man, particularly after the way the Priests had treated my mother, but Mother had delighted in this particular holiday and had gone to great lengths to combine both the Saturnalia customs of Father's court and the Yule traditions that she had grown up with. I had continued the tradition out of equal parts nostalgia and honor to her memory and, thinking about the look that would be on Fox's face today, I was glad that I had done so.

Restlessly, I wandered into the library and picked up a book, settling down in my chair for a peaceful morning of reading. But I was unable to concentrate on the words and so I tossed the book aside. Truth was, I had grown accustomed to having my cub's full attention and I found that I no longer knew how to amuse myself. For a few minutes, resentment filled me - how dare the boy become so incapacitated that he left me to my own devices? Then a rueful grin crossed my face; it was hardly the boy's fault that he had drunk from the wrong brew. And the memories of the past night - I would not trade those memories for anything in the world. Fox was always a sweet and responsive lover but he was usually content to let me take the lead in our passion-play. But last night he had been my demon-lover - insistent, aggressive, and completely wanton. I fell asleep sitting in my chair, dreaming and hoping that this demon lover made another appearance

 

Fox

I woke to a sudden chill as someone stripped off my covers and smacked me playfully on the backside. "Up, brat!"

"Ouch!" I sat up abruptly, protecting my bare ass. "What's that for?" I protested angrily.

Lord Walter raised an eyebrow. "That tone, perhaps. Do you plan to spend the day in bed?"

I grinned and reclined back on the bed, giving him my best seductive smile. "And you would object to that?"

"Later, my insatiable one. Right now, I'm hungry."

"So am I." I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively.

He sighed. "Next time, I'm keeping you on a short lead to keep you out of trouble. An aphrodisiac is the last thing you needed."

That caught my attention, and I let him drag me out of bed and, grumbling, I made my way to the bathing chamber. I was surprised that he didn't follow me there - surprised and relieved. I had a lot to think about.

I sank down into the warm water, wincing a little as all my muscles and intimate parts protested, and I dropped my head back against the side of the tub with a groan. Damn! I felt as if I had been ridden hard and put away wet - and, judging from the tenderness of my lower anatomy, I had. Vague images from the previous night came back to me, and I burned with embarrassment as I remembered being stroked to climax on horseback - in the midst of the damn troops, no less. And then there were flashes from the barn, of pushing Lord Walter down onto a bale of hay and fucking myself on him. I groaned, submerged myself under the water, and briefly considered staying there. No wonder Lord Walter had been so cross this morning - he was probably furious with me.

I sat up abruptly, dread making my stomach turn over. I had disobeyed him and my behavior had no doubt angered him. It didn't matter that I had accidentally gotten into whatever the hell it was that I had gotten into. I knew that I was in trouble.

I washed quickly, and the process purged away any lingering effects of the drug I had ingested. Reluctant but resolute, I walked back down the hallway to Lord Walter's bedchamber. He was sitting in the chair by the fire, pulling on his boots, and I immediately went to the wardrobe and fetched the strap, kneeling before him and holding it up.

"Fox, what's this?" There was surprise in his voice, and I looked up at him, equally surprised.

"I - for punishment. I disobeyed you. I drank that - whatever it was. And I - gods, I can't believe that I did that to you in the barn."

"Fox." Lord Walter pulled the strap out of my hands and set it aside, then pulled me up into his lap. I looked at him, bewildered. "In the first place, Lamana says that you stayed within his sight the whole time. In the second place, you had no idea that the mead was drugged. And in the third place," He leaned forward and his lips brushed my ear as he murmured, "I enjoyed every moment of last night."

I flushed. "Really?"

"Really." He kissed me tenderly. "Although the way you are moving, I would hazard that you are feeling sore this morning. Lie down on the bed on your stomach and let me take a look."

I obeyed, burying my face in the covers in embarrassment as I felt him examine me carefully. "You're a little swollen but there wasn't any tearing, thank the Gods. This should help." A cooling balm was spread over the sore tissue and I sighed in relief, and then buried my face even more. I heard Lord Walter's chuckle and felt him press a kiss on my nether cheeks. "Embarrassed, my cub? After all that we have done together?" He rolled me over onto my back and pressed a kiss against my lips. "I don't know which is more enticing - my sweetly shy lover or my wild and wanton one."

Doubt and relief warred within me. "Really?"

"Really. I wouldn't mind seeing that side of you more often, my Fox. Although preferably without the mead's influence."

Relieved, I grinned at him and pulled him back down for a brief but intense kiss. When I let him go, he looked slightly dazed. "Like that, Master?"

"Yes," he said, drawing a ragged breath. "Exactly like that." He sighed and released me, getting up. "Before you finish dressing, you might want to take a look at that chair over there."

I looked at him, puzzled, then turned to look at the chair. An unfamiliar cloak lay over a jumble of other items, and I flushed in embarrassment at not having the room in order as Lord Walter liked.

"I'm sorry, Master. I don't know how these things got here - I'll put them away right now - "

"You might want to look at them first, Fox. They're gifts - for you."

My legs felt suddenly weak and abruptly I sat on the floor. "For - gifts - who - "

"Just about everyone in the castle. The cloak is from Maggie - fur lined so you'll stay warm when we go riding."

I pulled the cloak down over my lap, marveling as I ran my hand over the soft fur. I had owned a good wool cape before, but never had one with fur. "It's - this is incredible."

"The book is from Captain Scully and Sister Melissa."

I picked it up and read the title. "The Historie of the Sisters of Artemis."

"You should be honored - few outside the Sisterhood have had access to that knowledge."

I nodded. "I know. I'll treasure it."

"The mittens are from the female servants, and I understand each of them took a turn at carding, spinning, and knitting them." Lord Walter gave me a humorous look. "Should I be jealous, my Fox?" I laughed at that. "Lamana gave you the leather pouch, and all the men contributed to the contents."

I picked up the pouch, surprised by the weight of it. Looking inside, I saw that it was filled with coppers and the occasional glint of silver. Knowing a soldier's wage wasn't much, I was touched that they would bestow so much on a slave. "I can't believe this," I murmured.

"There's more. The eating knife is from William."

My jaw nearly dropped at that. It was unheard of for a slave to carry a knife. "I can't - I'm not allowed - "

"You have my permission to carry it, Fox." He smiled. "It's only an eating knife and I doubt that you will slit my throat with it in the night. You're far more likely to drive me to a heart attack in bed."

I grinned and blushed at that, remembering the past night. I picked up the last items - a finely bound journal and a box of quill pens.

"From me," Lord Walter said. "I thought that you would like to have something to record your thoughts in. Something personal. And I swear by my mother's soul that I will never so much as look inside without your leave."

My throat tightened. "I - thank you. I shall treasure this always." I ran my fingers reverently over the creamy pages, blank now but just waiting for me to fill them.

Brushing away the sudden moisture in my eyes, I looked at the assembled gifts. "I never expected this - I don't have anything to give in return."

"Yes, you do, Fox. You give of yourself every day. Besides," he said with a grin. "The staff is grateful not to have to endure my bad temper anymore."

I chuckled at that. "Well, it is a sacrifice but one I am glad to make."

"Brat."

Lord Walter pulled me into his arms, ruthlessly tickling me till I screamed for mercy. Then we finally finished dressing and went down to join the rest of the household for the merriest feast that I had ever seen. With song and dance, with food and drink, and with much laughter and affection, we celebrated the start of a new year. And later, as I lay secure and drowsy within Lord Walter's arms following our own private celebration, I reflected with amusement how odd it was that the happiest Yule of my life should come after losing everything.

 

Chapter 4

Walter

The winter months passed for me in quiet contentment, more than I had ever known in the past. While I generally enjoyed the opportunity to relax in front of my fire after the hectic harvest-time, I also tended to fret at the enforced inactivity. Now, with Fox here to amuse me and share my life, I found that my boredom was a thing of the past.

Share my life. Amazing how easy those words came to me, how natural they seemed. I wondered if it felt the same way to Fox, but somehow I doubted it. Although he seemed happy enough, there was an underlying restlessness that I knew was due to our inability to locate his sister. I had no doubt that the moment he was free he would be off to find her - unless we found her sooner.

Still, he enjoyed being here, with me. We settled back into our routine - mornings in the office, afternoons in the library, with the occasional diversion in between. The first snowfall drew us out to play in it like children, engaging in mock combat with snowballs. I escorted Fox to the village to see Sister Melissa on several occasions so he could pester her with questions concerning the book he had received for Yule. The only drawback to that was that he was so wired afterward that he could hardly stop talking all evening. Fortunately, I knew a wonderful way to stop him from talking.

But my favorite times continued to be our afternoons in the library. We spent many long hours in front of the fire, taking turns reading to each other or discussing philosophy or whatever else came into our heads. I delighted in his quick mind and sharp intelligence; only Reggie had been able to provide me with this level of mental stimulation on the rare occasions when I could visit him. Sharon had preferred gossip and fashion as topics of discussion, and was plainly uninterested in the subjects that interested me. Fox was more than interested. He was eager to discuss anything he had learned and would readily debate any issue. I enjoyed watching the way that his face lit up when he was really intensely interested in what he was talking about and sometimes I would deliberately prod him to get his passions stirred up.

And then there was his passion for me, his total delight in what we did together. For the first time in my life, I had a bed companion who seemed genuinely joyful to be in my bed, not just accepting it because it was an obligation or because I was a means to an end. He devoted as much of his intelligence to determining what brought me the most pleasure and, as I allowed him to take the lead more often, he displayed this knowledge in a way that often left me senseless. I found myself contemplating the oddest thought at times, that of allowing him to take me, something that only a few lovers had done and then not often. I had never taken pleasure in receiving, had done it only to please the lover I had at the time, but I had a feeling that it would be different with Fox. The image of him lying over me, my heels on his shoulders while he drove into me with determined pleasure and vibrant passion fueled more than one fantasy. But at present they remained only a fantasy although I wasn't sure exactly what it was that I was waiting for.

Of course, life wasn't completely centered on books and bed. There was still a little business to be attended to, even at this time of year. Plans for the new plantings, decisions on which fields to let run fallow, merchant charters to approve, and minor legal matters to arbitrate - all the hundred little details involved in running a holding this size. And one afternoon, I found myself frowning over a message from the Council at the village outside my northern outpost.

"Trouble, Master?"

I glanced over at Fox, sitting at his little desk, and shrugged. "It seems that the sergeant in charge of the northern garrison has gotten lax in his control over his men and the village is complaining. Nothing serious - yet, just a lot of mischief. Sergeant Colton may need to be relieved of his duties and brought back here for a little retraining under the Captain's hand."

"Ouch," Fox said with a grin. "Poor man."

"I think I'll ride up there with Lamana. Take a replacement patrol up there and let him settle them in while I bring Colton and his men back."

"Can I go with you?" Fox asked eagerly.

I hesitated a moment. There was no real need to take Fox with me, other than my pleasure in his company. Besides, Fox had been sneezing for the past two days, and I didn’t want to risk his cold getting worse. "I don't think so, cub. It'll be a quick trip - there and back - with nothing to amuse you."

Fox made a face. "And nothing to amuse me here, either, with you gone."

He flushed as he realized what he had said but I laughed, delighted that he enjoyed my company as much as I enjoyed his. "Well, then, I shall have to devote myself to amusing you once I return, shan't I?"

Fox grinned and gave me a sultry look from under his eyelashes. "Yes, Master. Although it might help if I had something to remind me while you are gone."

Once more, my body caught fire from that molten look and I tossed the message down onto the desk. The hell with Tom Colton - he would wait until tomorrow, but the need raging through me wouldn't wait another moment. I took my Fox back to bed and took him in a way that would leave several pleasant reminders over the next few days.

 

Fox

Lord Walter rode out of the castle the next morning, watched by a disapproving Captain Scully. I don't think it was a matter of not agreeing with his decision to remove Colton from his post - it was the fact that she would have to wait two days before getting her hands on the miscreant who had shown up a flaw in her management of Lord Walter's army. Since she was in a bad mood, I avoided her most of the morning, hiding in the library.

After lunch, bored with my own company, I wandered down into the courtyard for some exercise. The castle's soldiers were working out as usual and I steered clear of the practice area since it appeared that Captain Scully was putting them through a grueling workout. Sometimes, when I was bored and Lord Walter was occupied with other matters, I would watch their combat practices, handing out dippers of water during the breaks. Sometimes one of the younger ones would drop down on the bench beside me and talk - about their homes, their families, and their plans after their term of soldiering was done. Once I realized that they were mostly lonely young men like me, I stopped being afraid of them. The older men, the career soldiers, were no less inclined to talk but their conversation centered mostly on battles they had seen and, to a man, they were devoted to Lord Walter. There was no attempt at familiarity or inappropriate attentions - the young ones were still too hot for woman-flesh and the older ones too wary of the Captain. Still, I steered clear of the barracks on general principle - a horny man in his cups was less likely to care about whom he took his pleasure with and I still had no ambition to become the barrack's whore.

Today, a cart that had been set up across from the practice area caught my attention. It was a tinker's cart, loaded with barrels and bundles and pots that gleamed in the wintry sun. A trestle table had been set up alongside the cart and Maggie was busily engaged in bartering with an old man who was obviously the tinker while his apprentice fetched goods for her inspection. I wandered across and looked over the cart with more curiosity than need, although the knowledge that I had coins of my own to spend should I wish was nice. Still, there was nothing that I could think of that I wanted, although the vague thought of a present for Lord Walter drifted through my mind.

As I wandered and looked, my eye suddenly caught something gleaming from the tinker's shelves. It was a copper bookmark, cunningly wrought to look like a fox's head, and the moment I saw it, I knew that it would be a perfect gift for Lord Walter.

"What is it?" Maggie asked, having concluded her business with the tinker. She glanced over at the tinker's cart and saw the copper trinket, then looked back at me. "You like that?"

I shrugged. "I was thinking that Lord Walter might like it."

"Then ask how much it is."

I shook my head. "No — it's bound to be too much."

"You'll never know unless you ask." She pushed me toward the cart. "Go on."

Uncertain, I walked over to the cart and pretended to look over all the merchandise, trying not to betray my particular interest in that piece. I asked the price of one or two other items and my heart sank further with each answer - the prices were way beyond my limited means. Finally I pointed at the bookmark, surprised at the steadiness of my voice.

"How much?"

The old man looked at me, an unreadable expression on his face. "This item is not for sale. It is to be given to the one with the same name."

Puzzled, I said, "My name is Fox. Is that what you mean?"

"Truly, you are called Fox?" the man asked. I nodded and he took down the copper fox, turning it over. "Do the initials on the back mean anything to you?"

I looked and thought that my heart would stop. There, engraved into the metal, were the initials 'SAM'. I swallowed hard. "My sister — Samantha. I called her Sam." I looked up at the man, trying to control my impulse to grab him and demand more information. "Where did you get this?"

"From a friend to be given to a friend." He reached into a cabinet and brought out a little cloth bag, tucked the copper bookmark inside, and then held it out to me. "May the Gods smile on you, young Fox."

"Thank you," I managed to say, clutching the little bag to my chest. I knew that there was some hidden message here, possibly from one of the Single Arrow brotherhood, and I could hardly wait to get to the privacy of my room to check it out.

Once seated before the fire in Lord Walter's bedchamber, I pulled the bookmark out of the bag and carefully examined it, but I couldn't see anything unusual in either the front or the back engravings, other than those three initials. I picked up the bag and turned it inside out, but there was nothing there. Frustrated, I was about to throw it aside when I realized that the material was stiffer than it should be.

Using my eating knife, I carefully slit the seams of the bag and laid it out flat. There, between the two layers of cloth, was a note written in an unfamiliar hand.

"Fox- You do not know me by name, although no doubt you have heard Mutual Friends refer to me as The Thinker. I have secured information that it is urgent that I pass to you. Once you have received this message from a Friend who has offered to convey it for me, meet me at Midnight on the shore North of the village. Come alone, as you are the only one I trust with this information."

I sat and looked at the note for a long time, torn between excitement and apprehension. I had heard the Brothers refer to the Thinker, an anarchistic friend of theirs, but I had never met him and had no idea what he looked like. The possibility that this was a trap occurred to me, but the little mark in the corner of the note was one I had seen on the Brothers' correspondence so I was certain that it was — or had been — authentic at one point. Whether or not the author of this message was now in Earl Spender's clutches was unknown. Not to mention the fact that Lord Walter would have my head if he found out that I had disobeyed him by leaving the castle alone. But if I didn't go to meet this man, I could miss my chance to find out what had happened to my sister.

Resolved, I folded up the note and carefully tucked it into my pouch, then went down to the kitchen to eat supper.

Later that night, when the castle staff had settled down, I slipped out of the kitchen door. The castle was dark and I carefully made my way across the gardens toward the postern door, having determined that this was the easiest way for me to escape from the castle unnoticed. Carefully, I eased the door open and slid through the narrow opening, then pushed the door shut and heard it latch behind me. Only one way back into the castle now — through the front gate — but I would tackle that problem when I returned with my information.

Once clear of the castle, I made my way on foot towards the village. It was a long walk and would take me over an hour, but there was no way that I could have slipped out on horseback. I felt the chill winds and pulled my new cloak tighter around me, quickening my pace to a slow jog. The sooner I got this over with and got back to the castle, the better. I was already feeling very uneasy about this meeting, not to mention the consequences I would face upon my return.

A little over an hour later, I stood at the appointed meeting place and looked around anxiously for my contact. The bitter cold seemed worse as brisk winds blowing off the bay seemed to penetrate even the thick cloak I was wearing, chilling my sweat-dampened body. I felt a cough tickling at the back of my throat and knew that Maggie would give me hell for making my cold worse. I stamped my feet, trying to make my numb toes wake up, and cursed under my breath. Where the hell was this Thinker?

A figure moved out of the mist and I hesitated, then moved forward as I saw he was alone. "Fox?" The man peering out of the fog was wiry and appeared unkempt, but more from a scholar's inattention than from slovenliness.

"Yes," I said, moving closer. "You said you had information for me. Do you know what has happened to my sister."

His eyes darted around everywhere, obviously nervous and frightened. "More - more than that." He pulled out a roll of parchment and held it up. "Information - on all of it. Dangerous information. If this gets into the wrong hands…"

I itched to get my hands on that parchment. "Do they know that you have this?"

The man nodded and a sheepish look came over his face. "I found it in the Temple library. I never expected to find anything like this so I didn't take any precautions — I barely got out of the Temple alive. I couldn't lead them to the Brothers and I don’t think they'll expect me to come here, but they may be following me."

I took the roll of parchment. "I'll be careful." I longed to look at it but knew that there was no time for that now. Carefully, I tucked it into the waistband of my pants where it would be secure and hidden.

The Thinker suddenly raised his head, looking around in alarm. "They're here! They're coming!"

"Who - " But now I could hear something as well - the sound of oars on the bay behind us. It appeared that he had been followed and that the jaws of the trap were about to close on us both. Determined to prevent that from happening, I shoved at the Thinker, startling him out of his frozen panic. "Run! Get out of here!"

The man didn't wait to hear more. He took off towards the village and I took off running towards the castle. But I could tell that I wasn't going to be fast enough. Even now, I heard the sound of gangplanks hitting the shore and the sound of hooves on the wood. There was no way for me to outrun men mounted on horseback.

Still, I ran as fast as I could but it seemed that part of the enemy forces had somehow swung around in front of me and I knew that I was going to be caught between the enemy's pinchers. A horse appeared out of the mist ahead of me and I swerved to avoid it, passing close enough to hear the rider swear.

"Dammit, Milord, I'm trying to rescue you!"

I froze in place, startled by the familiar voice. "Scully?" A moment later, I felt myself being caught around the waist and heaved up behind the rider.

"Hold on. We're outnumbered and will have to run for it."

Stunned, I clasped my arms tightly around Captain Scully's waist and held on. She swung her horse around and shouted the retreat, then spurred her mount towards the castle. I clung to my rescuer for dear life, knowing that a fall at the speed we were going would probably kill me. And, given who my pursuers were, death would probably be preferable to capture.

A few minutes later, we were safely inside the castle and Scully sprang down from her saddle, issuing orders in rapid succession. It appeared that she expected pursuit and attack as she set about securing the castle and fortifying the battlements, and the garrison sprang into action with ease. As I heard the orders being given, the full enormity of the situation hit me and I slid out of the saddle to stand on shaking legs.

Scully was back in a moment, her face stern and her eyes blazing. She grasped me by the shoulder and marched me into the Hall, not letting go till we stood in Lord Walter's bedchamber. "You are an idiot and would be justly served if Lord Walter exacted the full penalty for your actions."

I paled her words and tried to speak, but my lips and throat were dry as dust.

Scully didn’t appear to be having any problems talking. "How could you run away like that, the moment his back was turned?"

"I didn't run away," I managed to say. "He said — the man I met said - he had information about my sister — " I pulled the parchment out of my trousers and held it out as proof.

"Save your fairy tales for his Lordship," she snapped, throwing the paper to the side. "No doubt he is fond enough to believe that you slipped off in the dead of night for information."

"Dana!" Maggie said sharply, coming into the room in time to hear this. "I'm sure that the poor boy didn't mean to cause trouble. Look at him — he looks like he'll faint any minute."

"He has good reason to feel faint. If he's lucky, Lord Walter will just lift the skin off his back."

I felt cold all over and said, desperately, "I wasn't running away. I would have come back — "

"If I hadn't seen you leave, you wouldn't have been able to come back! Only you would have the bad luck to run right into a raiding party in your break for freedom."

The fraying threads of my temper snapped and I yelled, "They weren't raiders! They were trying to capture the man who gave me that scroll — and me as well!"

Scully snorted. "Not everything is about you."

"This was!"

"Dana! Fox!" Maggie pushed between us, glaring at first me and then at Scully. "Fighting like children — and ill-behaved ones at that! You should be ashamed of yourselves!"

"But — " I shut up when she glared at me again.

Scully drew in a deep breath. "Whoever they were," she said in a quieter tone, "they nearly had you that time."

I looked and saw the pain in her face at that thought. "I know. Thank you — for rescuing me."

She gave me a slight, crooked smile. "You're a lot of trouble, Milord Fox. And until Lord Walter comes back tomorrow, I think I should lock you in this room — for my own peace of mind."

I nodded again and looked at her anxiously. "Are you — are you going to tell him that I ran away?"

Scully considered me for a long moment. "I should," she said, ignoring Maggie's protest. "But I won't. I have to tell him that you left the castle, but I'll make sure he knows that you were tricked into it. You'll still be in trouble, though."

I swallowed hard at that thought. "I know."

"I hope that scroll of yours was worth it."

"The scroll!" I had completely forgotten about it and now looked around frantically for it. I found it lying on the floor against the wall where Scully's blow had knocked it. I eagerly unrolled it. One look at the contents, however, and I was ready to throw it against the wall myself. I swore and tossed it on the bed.

"What's wrong, Fox?" Maggie asked in concern.

"It's all nonsense — gibberish!" I said, angry that I had allowed myself to fall for a stupid trick. "It was a trap, the whole thing, and I fell for it."

"Maybe it's in another language — "

I shook my head. "I studied languages at the University, and that's not any language that I've ever seen. It's not even a code of some kind."

Scully's voice broke into my anger. "I've seen something like this." I turned and looked at her, and saw that she was sitting on the bed with the scroll spread over her lap, a look of intense concentration on her face. "At the Shrine, when I was training there."

My anger evaporated and I sat down beside her on the bed, saying, "It's not Greek like most of the Amazon writings you've shown me. The letters are Roman but not in any familiar pattern. It's all a jumble of consonants with no pattern and very few vowels."

"It reminds me of some of the Welsh writings I've seen," she said slowly. "It's possible that a Welsh translator would be able to decipher this. I could send it by courier to the Shrine and see if one of the Sisters - "

I shook my head. "It's too dangerous," I said. "They were after the man who took this from the Temple and if they think he gave it to me, they'll be watching any messengers we send out. He said that the information in this was very dangerous and that it couldn't fall into the wrong hands."

She sighed. "Then we'll just have to wait until we go back to Town and can take it to the Shrine ourselves."

I frowned, not liking the delay, but I could see no other safe course. "I suppose so."

"In the meantime," Maggie said briskly, "It is getting late and you young people need your rest."

I opened my mouth to protest and yawned instead. Maggie was right — now that the excitement was over, I found that I was exhausted. Scully rolled up the parchment and handed it back to me, admonishing me to put it somewhere safe and then went off to see to her men before turning in.

I stripped off my damp clothes and pulled on a clean bedgown, feeling shaky still. I would have loved nothing better than to sink into the hot water in the bathing chamber but Maggie was waiting to lock me in and I was already in so much trouble that I didn’t want to push it. I crawled under the covers and let Maggie fuss over me, tucking in the blankets until I was as comfortable as I could get without Lord Walter beside me. Closing my eyes, I drifted into a deep sleep.

And woke several hours later, screaming, in the clutches of the worst nightmare I had ever had since coming to Beauforte. I wrapped my shivering body around the pillow that still held Lord Walter's scent and, unable to sleep anymore, lay silently watching the sun come up.

 

Chapter 5

Walter

I rode into Beauforte late in the afternoon on the second day with a subdued and sullen ex-Sergeant Colton in my wake. With a grateful sigh, I came out of my saddle and looked around the courtyard, noting that Captain Scully had increased the guard for some reason. She stood at the bottom of the steps, William and Maggie next to her, and I crossed to them as I stripped off my gloves.

"Expecting trouble, Captain?" I asked, gesturing toward the walls.

"There were reports of marauders in the village last night and I didn't want to take any chances."

I frowned. "Marauders? Did they do any damage? Any idea what they wanted?"

"As a matter of fact - "

Maggie interrupted suddenly, tugging me towards the stairs. "Dana, I'm sure that you can discuss this later, after Lord Walter has had a chance to recover from his trip." I let her lead me off - I was tired and dirty and wanted nothing so much as a bath, a hot meal, and Fox in that order.

Speaking of which…I looked around for him. "Where's Fox? I thought he'd be waiting impatiently at the gate for me."

Maggie chuckled. "Aye, and so he would be and under everyone's feet if we hadn't locked him into your bedchamber."

"The boy has sadly missed you," William added.

I opened my mouth to ask why they had thought it necessary to lock Fox into my room but at that moment Maggie unlocked the door. Fox launched himself at me and nearly knocked me down. He began covering my face with kisses, rubbing himself against me. I wrapped an arm around his waist and captured his mouth with mine, closing the door behind me with the other hand.

"Miss me, brat?" Fox was trying to part me from my clothes and I chuckled. "Slow down, boy. There's no need to rush. We have all night. And the Gods know that I need a bath."

Fox sighed but stopped his desperate attempt to disrobe me. After I had undressed and put on a robe, Fox swiftly stripped and followed me into the bathing chamber. I noticed that he was unusually quiet and that, coupled with his earlier behavior, made me suspicious. I settled into the water and studied the young man.

"So, Fox, what have you been up to while I was gone?"

Fox started and flushed. "Um - nothing much, sir. It's been pretty quiet here…" His voice trailed off.

"Fox."

He hung his head and refused to look at me. "Sir?"

"It will go far easier on you if you just confess your sins than if I find out for myself." I frowned, thinking of the way that William and Maggie had turned my attention away from Captain Scully. "Perhaps I should talk to the Captain - "

"No!" Fox said quickly. "I - I'll tell you."

He settled at the far end of the bathing pool, as if wanting to distance himself from me. I was suddenly getting a bad feeling about this.

"No. Let me guess. Despite my instructions, despite my warnings, you left the castle. You received a private message that someone had something you wanted - information on your sister, perhaps? - and would only tell you personally and only if you came alone. Am I right so far?"

Fox's eyes were shut, his face pale. "Yes, sir," he whispered.

"Only it was a trap, of course. How did you get out of it?"

"Captain Scully." The words seemed to be dragged out of Fox. "She - she got suspicious when she saw me leave and followed me. It wasn't a trap - not really. The information was real. At least we think it is. But the man was followed and - and they almost got me." He looked at me with eyes wide with fear. "I - I'm in serious trouble, aren't I?"

"I'm not going to lie to you, Fox. This is big - this is really big." I drew a deep breath, trying to control the fury I felt. "Go to my room and get into place across the bench with my belt in your mouth. I may be awhile but you had better be there."

"Yes, sir." Fox got out of the pool and dried himself, and I caught the pitiful glance he threw my way. I kept my face stern, however, and watched him head down the hallway with dragging steps. Once he was gone, I got out of the pool and dried off, put on my robe, and went in search of the rest of my merry band.

"William!"

William swung around and stared in surprise as he saw me crossing the Great Hall wearing only a robe. "My lord?"

"Find your wife and Captain Scully and come to my study. Immediately!"

I saw William swallow hard. "Yes, my lord."

I paced the floor in my study until the door opened, then turned and fixed the three entering my office with a baleful stare. William and Maggie exchanged nervous looks but Captain Scully stood up straight.

"Fox told you what happened," she said.

"Captain Scully, when I arrived home you said that you had something to tell me - and then these two distracted me and Fox attempted to further distract me. Am I placing too much faith in your intelligence to hope that you were planning on telling me about this?"

"Yes, sir. I mean, no, sir, you're not. It was my intention to tell you immediately. The marauders seemed to be trying to abduct Milord Fox, and I doubt that they will give up. They must want him badly."

"Yes, and his own actions are not helping matters." I gripped the Captain's shoulder. "Thank you, Captain. I won't forget your actions in saving my Fox."

Captain Scully flushed. "He's a very special person, sir. I would hate to see him hurt."

I looked at the Captain sharply and she met my eyes with no hesitation, and I felt my sudden worry disappear. It was clear that Captain Scully loved Fox but it was also clear that it was a selfless love, one she had no intention of acting on. It also made her probably the best person to protect Fox. "I'm glad I can rely on at least one person here to do what they are supposed to do." I glared at William and Maggie, then smiled back at Scully. "Thank you, Captain - and now I'm sure that you want to attend to your own discipline problem."

She nodded and left the room, and I turned back to William and Maggie, sighing. "As for the two of you - why did you try to prevent me from learning about Fox's latest escapade?"

"Because the lad was scared out of his mind," Maggie said roundly. "He was afraid that you would beat him senseless over this."

"I would never beat him senseless - no matter how provoked I am - and you know that, Maggie. Although I can promise you that the brat will be eating his meals standing up for a week." I sighed and sat down in my chair, suddenly exhausted. And I still had Fox's punishment to deal with when all I wanted was to take him in my arms and lose myself in his warmth. "I know you meant well, but you can't encourage him to avoid the consequences of his actions. He's been getting away with that all his life and he has no concept of the danger he subjects himself to because of that." I fixed each of them with a stern look. "Am I understood? I will not have my will crossed on this."

"Yes, my lord," Maggie said although there was a stubborn set about her mouth that told me the issue wasn't over.

"Understood, my lord," William said.

"Right. Well," I pushed myself to my feet and sighed. "There's still my brat to deal with."

"Couldn't it wait till the morning?" Maggie asked, a coaxing tone in her voice. "You've had a long day, and Fox has missed you so much. It seems a shame to spoil your homecoming like this."

For a moment I was tempted but I knew that the sooner the matter was over the better for everyone. And I worried that it might set a dangerous precedent if I delayed his punishment now, that he might be tempted to disobey me again if I showed any weakness.

"No, I'll take care of it tonight. Good night."

I opened the door to my bedchamber and was greeted by the sight of my slave on display. He was dutifully in place over the bench, ass raised high with his head nearly touching the floor on the other side. I saw the trembling in his body as he heard me enter.

"All right, Fox. Let's get this over with." I went down on one knee beside him and removed the belt from his mouth, lifting his head so his eyes could meet mine. "What are you being punished for?"

His voice was flat as he cataloged his misdeeds. "For leaving the castle alone and without permission to meet an unknown person. For risking my life needlessly. For - for trying to - to seduce you so that you wouldn't find out about it. I - I'm sorry about that, Master."

Ah, that was very interesting, I thought. He recognized that he had done wrong on the first three items but wasn't in the least bit repentant. But the last one - that one touched his heart. I wondered why. It hadn't surprised me in the least that he had tried to avoid punishment by distracting me, although I certainly couldn't condone it. I had a feeling that Fox and I would have to have a long talk about that tomorrow.

"Good," I said, ruffling his hair briefly. "I think you covered everything." I stood up. "All right, Fox. Hold on tight, this is going to be a long and painful session. Feel free to cry, scream, beg, whatever you need to do but understand that I won't stop until I'm satisfied that you've been sufficiently punished. Understand?"

"Yes, Master," Fox's voice was faint and I could see him wrap his hands around the legs of the bench.

I lifted the belt and brought it down on the upturned bottom and I heard Fox gasp at the pain. I was not holding back anything; I couldn't if I wanted this lesson to sink in. I thoroughly strapped every inch of his bottom and the back of his thighs, going back over it a second time until his ass was flaming red. He had long since passed from gasps to apologies then begging and was now just sobbing steadily. I lowered my aching arm and placed my other hand on his back, gently stroking him to quiet and reassure him.

"All right, Fox. It's all over. You can get up now."

"Yes, sir," he whispered, pushing himself upright with gasps of pain.

I reached out to take his chin in my hand. "Don't ever make me have to do that again, do you hear me?"

Fox's lip trembled and he threw himself against my chest, sobbing again. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"I imagine that you are," I said dryly, but I hugged him tight, carefully avoiding his flaming skin. "And you'll have reason to be even sorrier."

Fox lifted his head, tears arrested on his cheeks, and stared at me in horror. "What - what else are you going to do to me?"

"You're going to be on a short leash this week - a very short leash. Literally. For the following week, you will be on collar and chain, at my heel wherever I go. Disobedience will merit immediate punishment. I advise you to be on your best behavior if you ever want to sit down again."

Fox’s face paled and he seemed to shiver. "Gods - what if I promise that I won't forget? If I swear that I'll never set a foot outside the gate without a bodyguard?"

"Don't try to bargain with me, Fox. I can always make it for two weeks." I looked at him sternly. "I can be much more severe with you about this, boy. You should be thankful that you are getting off so easily."

"Yes, Master," he said miserably.

I let go of him and pulled back the covers on the bed. "Bed, cub."

He sighed and carefully crawled up on the bed, collapsing on his stomach. "Master?"

I frowned over at him from where I was banking the fire. "What is it now, brat?"

"I — I wasn’t trying to run away."

I crossed to the bed and sat down on it, running my hand over his tangled hair. "I know, cub. I also know how close I came to losing you, and I won’t let that happen again. If I have to whip you daily or chain you to me, I will do it to keep you safe. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Master." His voice was barely a whisper and I heard fresh tears in it. I almost relented at that but the thought of how close this had been steeled my resolve.

"Go to sleep, brat," I said and heard a little sigh from him. And before I could strip off my robe and slide under the sheets, he was sound asleep.

 

Fox

I woke in the early morning, long before dawn, shivering with cold while my backside and head throbbed with pain. Wistfully, I thought about the wonderful salve that Lord Walter had applied the last time he had whipped me like this. But even if I had known where he kept it, I wouldn’t have dared to apply it to myself. Lord Walter had done it immediately afterward last time, and if he hadn’t done it this time, then this was no doubt part of the punishment.

Unable to lie still any longer, I slipped quietly out of bed and went to stand in front of the fire. My head and backside felt like they were blazing with heat but the rest of me was shivering with cold. I went to the wardrobe and fetched my new cloak, wrapping it around myself which seemed to help a little. As I was closing the wardrobe door, light glinted off something hanging on a peg in there. I knew what it was and, reluctantly, I took it out of the closet. Sitting gingerly in front of the fire, I looked down at the horrible thing in my hand.

It was my slave collar, made of the same base material as my first slave earring with a sturdy lock to secure it around my neck, and I hated it. If I closed my eyes, I could still remember the feeling of being held down in the prison, kicking and screaming in terror while that thing was fitted around my neck and locked in place. The helplessness, the horror of my situation, the certainty that this indignity would be followed by my rape at the hands of the brutal guards holding me in place — all these things were burned into my memory. When the slaver had immediately appeared, ordering me to be taken to the cart for transport to the slave pens, I had nearly fainted with relief. I had never been so glad to see anyone in my life — not until Lord Walter came into it, at any rate. And when Sir Reginald’s servants removed that damned thing so that I could be cleaned, I had silently thanked every deity I knew. I had been overjoyed that Lord Walter didn’t think it necessary for me to wear that thing and had done my best to forget that it existed. Until now.

A tear splashed onto the dull metal. Over the past months, I had become so accustomed to Lord Walter’s gentle treatment of me that I had forgotten my true place in this household. I was not his lover, his concubine, or even his pet. I was his slave, pure and simple, until the day that my servitude ended or he sold me to another. Despite everything, I had persisted in believing that I was becoming something more to my master, that the connections forming between us were more than just master and slave. That someday he might truly love me as an equal. But now the truth stared me in the face, and it was as ugly as the metal band that symbolized it. And in a few short hours, he would be the one to hold me down and put this horrible thing back on me.

My heart failed me at that and I could hardly draw a breath. I couldn’t bear that thought, that the man who I loved with my whole heart would become just like all the others in my memory. If I had to wear this damned thing, it would be my own hand and not his. It was my fault that I had been brought to this low point in my life, mine alone, and I would pay the penalty for it. My hands shook as I placed the band around my neck and snapped the lock in place.

I stared at the key for a long moment and then threw it into the fireplace. I would never take the collar off again. It would remain around my neck, a silent symbol of what I truly was, until the day that my master released me or sold me to another. Which would also be the day of my death, because I knew that my heart would truly break.

Curling up in a ball, I lay staring into the fire, alternating between burning with shame and shivering with dread as I waited for the morning.

 

Chapter 6

Walter

When I woke in the morning, I was alone in my bed. Still caught in a vivid dream where I had lost Fox in a sudden gray mist, I sat up quickly and looked around for my slave, relieved to see him standing in front of the fireplace. He was already dressed and, at my movement, came forward to help me from the bed and wrapped my robe around me. I was grateful for the warmth and made my way into the privy chamber to relieve myself, splashing cold water on my face before returning to my chair in front of the fire. Fox had my breakfast waiting for me and I smiled at him, noting that he looked a little pale this morning. I wasn’t surprised that he was taking this punishment hard but I couldn’t afford to be lenient, not when his life was at stake.

"Good morning, my Fox. You are up early this morning." I indicated that he should sit at my feet.

He smiled wryly and knelt, wincing as he did so. "I had a little trouble sleeping."

I chuckled and shook my head, although I silently castigated myself for forgetting to apply the salve to his backside. I had been so exhausted that it had completely slipped my mind, and I regretted that my poor Fox had been forced to be more miserable. I would remedy that, though — after lunch I would bring him back to my bedchamber for a nap. I would hold him in my arms and kiss him tenderly while I told him how afraid I was of losing him. I would administer the salve with my own hands, and I would gently make love to him. And then, while he rested in my arms in drowsy blissfulness, I would risk telling him of my love, of my desire that he remain with me always.

But for now, I must remain the stern master to reinforce his punishment. "And you have only yourself to blame for that. When you see Maggie next, ask for the salve. There’s no point in being completely miserable, as long as you have learned your lesson. Have you, Fox?"

He bowed his head and I thought I saw him shiver as he murmured, "Yes, Master."

I caught sight of the band of metal around his neck and let one finger trail over it for a moment. While I disliked the baseness of the metal, the sight of it around Fox’s neck stirred my possessive instincts. I thought idly that I would have a necklace made for my Fox when I returned to town. Something beautiful to fit his own beauty. The Gods knew that there was enough gold and jewelry in that cask of jewels that had belonged to my late wife, enough to create a dozen or more such ornaments. Something slim and elegant, a gold circlet set with emeralds perhaps. The image of Fox writhing under me, naked except for an elegant circlet about his neck, made my cock recall that it had been several days since I had last made love to him. I was about to drag him back to bed to remedy this situation when a sharp knock on the door made me recall that there were duties to be performed first.

"Come in, Captain," I called out and turned my head to watch the Amazon enter the chamber.

"Your pardon, Lord Walter, but you wanted to know when the troops were ready for inspection."

I sighed. "Very well. I will be out in a few minutes." Scully nodded and left while Fox silently got to his feet, fetching my clothes. I wondered about his continued silence as I quickly dressed, figuring that the boy was sulking as he sometimes did after being punished. I knew that he would get over it soon enough — either on his own or with a warning swat to help him.

After he laced up my boots, Fox held up a thin piece of leather, attaching one end to the ring on his collar. I smiled in approval and ruffled his hair, then wrapped my cloak around me and led the way out to the courtyard. Fox followed at my heels, maintaining the proper distance and keeping his eyes focused on the ground as he should. I couldn’t help feeling proud of the way that he was conducting himself, even if he was still sulking.

The troops were lined up orderly, even those that had returned with us from the outpost, and I was pleased to see that three months away from here under bad management had not demoralized them completely. Not that I didn’t have complete faith in Scully’s ability to whip them back into shape quickly enough, but it was a good sign that they fell back into the routine so well. I did notice slouching and murmuring at the back of the troop and recognized Colton and one of his cronies in the center of it, then heard Scully sharply correct them. Satisfied, I nodded to Scully that she could dismiss the men and she sent them off to their assigned posts and then joined me on the steps.

"They’re looking good, Captain," I said, smiling at her. She nodded but I noticed a slight frown. "What?"

"A few comments from Colton and his friend, Modell," she said reluctantly, flicking her eyes towards my shadow in a way that told me the subject of the comments if not their tone.

"Trouble, Scully?" I frowned, not liking the idea of a serpent here among my men. I had become aware over the past few months that the men had come to regard Fox with respect and I didn’t want anything to jeopardize that.

"Nothing I can’t handle, my Lord. Some extra work will take cure their libidos." Her eyes twinkled wickedly and I would have felt heartily sorry for Colton and his friends if I hadn’t felt that they deserved everything they got.

"If not, dismiss them. I won’t have Fox bothered by them."

Scully nodded and went about her duties and, having no business for the day, I headed for the library. As I expected, Maggie had an early luncheon ready for us. Fox brought a plate to my chair and then settled quietly at my feet but not against my legs as he usually did. I sighed at that; I did not want to deal with a sulky brat this afternoon when I had much more enjoyable plans in mind.

"I think that cloak is a little heavy for in here," I said, noting that he hadn’t removed it yet. Without a murmur, he removed it, folding it carefully and sitting on it. "And don’t forget to speak to Maggie about that salve."

"Yes, Master," Fox said quietly.

Tugging at his hair, I said, "Don’t sulk, brat. And get something to eat — I won’t have you starving yourself." With a sigh, Fox got to his feet and fetched himself a plate and a goblet of ale, quickly draining it and pouring another. He was less eager to eat, breaking off pieces of bread and playing with them until I sharply admonished him to eat. I regretted that a moment later as, hastily stuffing the piece of bread in his mouth, he choked on it and began coughing violently. With an irritated growl at this nonsense, I reached over to thump his back to help him — and halted abruptly as I felt the waves of heat rolling off his skin through the thick shirt. I pulled him up on my lap and felt his forehead.

"Fox! You’re burning up with fever!"

"I’m fine, Master," he protested weakly. "Just a little warm — "

"You’re sick, brat, and you’re going back to bed right now."

I swung him up into my arms and stood, heading for my chambers, shouting for Maggie as I hurried along. I could feel the fever burning his body but his teeth chattered as if he was cold. I began stripping off his clothes, looking up only briefly as Maggie hurried in.

"Fox is sick," I said sharply. Fox was protesting my attempt to strip him and I growled, "Lie still, boy." Once he was naked, I ran my hands over his body, seeking any wounds that might have gotten infected or any unusual lumps that might indicate a parasite. Finding nothing, I paused to spread the salve that Maggie had brought over his blistered bottom and then rolled him onto his back, covering his shivering body with a blanket.

"When did you start feeling sick?"

"I didn’t start feeling really bad until early this morning — "

I gave an exasperated sigh. "When did you start feeling even a little bit bad?"

"Um — when I got back after — after going to the village. I felt a little shaky and I couldn’t seem to get warm."

I wanted to shake him with exasperation. "Why didn’t you say anything to anyone?"

Fox gave Maggie a sideways look from under his lashes. "How? They locked me in the room, and I didn’t start feeling sick until after Maggie had left."

I ground my teeth. "You could have said something when Maggie brought your meals. Or when I got home last night. Or this morning."

Fox pouted, looking absurdly like a little boy with his face all flushed and his hair sticking up in all directions. "Yes, Master."

"Brat," I said softly, caressing his flushed cheek. "You have only yourself to blame if you feel miserable, but we’ll do everything we can to make you more comfortable."

He turned his head to kiss my palm, murmuring, "Thank you, Master."

Between Maggie and me, we bathed him with cool water and put him into a fresh bedgown, then she brought a mug of herb tea. Fox drank it thirstily and then lay back down on the bed. I sat beside him, holding his hand and talking quietly to him until he dropped into an easy sleep. I brushed his tousled hair out of his face and kissed his forehead, then moved over to the chair so that I could watch him while he slept.

Before long, though, Fox became restless, tossing on the bed and muttering in his sleep. I went back to sit beside him, thinking that my presence would bring him out of his nightmare, but he appeared to be gripped in a fever-induced delirium and it was a long time before he looked at me with something approaching rationality in his eyes.

"Master," he murmured. "Thirsty."

I poured a glass of barley water from the pitcher that Maggie had left and propped him up so that he could drink it. He emptied the glass and then leaned back against me with a little sigh. I noted with concern that his fever seemed just as high as before and that he had not yet broken into a sweat. I coaxed him into sitting up and stripped off his bedgown, then bathed him down with cool water again before putting him back in the gown and pulling the blankets back over him. By the time I had him settled again, he was half-asleep and readily swallowed another cup of Maggie’s herbal tea before falling into another deep sleep.

My hopes that he would rest easier now were short in duration. Within an hour, he was tossing again, gripped in delirium. His hands tore at his throat, gouging at the skin until I held them both in my own hands to keep him from harming himself.

"Collar — can’t breathe — " he gasped, the tone of his voice rising with his desperation.

I ran a finger under the collar, noting that it was loose and not choking him in any way. "Fox, it’s not — "

He screamed in terror, fighting against me in earnest, and I could tell from his delirium-filled eyes that he didn’t recognize me. "Take it away! Gods — please, please — take it off! Let me go, let me go — "

It suddenly occurred to me that Fox was reliving some kind of trauma related to his being collared, and I hurriedly looked around for the key. Not finding it, I finally dragging out of the nearly hysterical man that he had thrown it into the fireplace. My lips tightened at that, wondering how I could have possibly missed the fact that Fox hated that collar and that what was supposed to be punishment was torture instead. With the aid of the poker, I extracted the key, dropping it into a basin of water to cool it, then unfastened the collar and threw the hideous thing across the room.

Rubbing the salve along the scratches on his throat, I murmured soothingly, "It’s gone, Fox. The collar is gone, and I promise you’ll never have to wear it again."

He blinked his eyes and smiled weakly as he recognized me, and I felt a warmth spread through my stomach. Fox sighed wearily and held out his arms like a child asking for a hug. "Master?"

I pulled him up against my shoulder, rubbing his back in small circles, and he sighed again in contentment. I held him in my arms until his breathing relaxed into a more normal pattern and he dropped back into sleep, and then once more tucked him under the covers.

I didn’t indulge a hope that this would last long and I wasn’t wrong. Within an hour, he was thrashing and delirious. His fever refused to break and he moaned almost constantly from the pain in his head and body. To my deepening anxiety, he seemed to have trouble breathing. I propped him up on the pillows to help but his breathing sounded wet and raspy to my ears. When Maggie came back to check on him, we exchanged troubled looks across the bed.

"It’s the lung-sickness, isn’t it?" I asked her in a low voice, my heart sinking as she nodded silently. I had seen it before in my soldiers, among those who had been wounded and bedridden, and had seen previously healthy men reduced to thin and shaky wreaks, coughs racking their fevered bodies. I had seen more than one man die from this sickness.

"How bad — " I began, and then terror gripped my heart when Maggie refused to meet my eyes. "No! I won’t let him die," I said fiercely. "I don’t care what we have to do, but Fox is not going to die!"

Leaving Maggie to sit with Fox, I strode across the courtyard to the armory where I found Scully supervising her miscreants while they inventoried, cleaned and repaired the weapons and armor.

She moved to meet me, saying in a hushed voice, "You will pardon my saying this, but you look terrible. I heard that Milord Fox was ill. Is it very bad, then?"

"Lung sickness," I said briefly. "Nothing we’ve done is working. Would you send one of the men for Sister Melissa?"

"I’ll go myself," Scully said, picking up her cloak and walking towards the stables. I followed her, describing his symptoms while she asked a few questions for clarity, then watched as she raced out of the castle towards the village before I returned to Fox’s side.

Maggie looked up in relief as I entered the room, and I could see that she was struggling to keep Fox in the bed. "Thank goodness! He’s delirious — thinks you’re in danger — "

I took Maggie’s place on the bed, firmly grasping Fox’s shoulders as he thrashed and tried to get away. "Fox! Fox, it's all right."

He blinked his eyes, clutching at me when they finally came into focus. "Master! I thought - I thought I lost you."

I sat down, pulling him up against me and rubbing his back soothingly. "You haven't lost me, brat. I'm right here."

He rubbed his head fretfully against my shoulder. "You were gone…and it was dark…and I couldn't find you. I looked and I looked but you were gone." Fingers like talons clutched at me. "You won't leave me, will you?"

I kissed his fevered forehead and said gruffly, "I won't leave you. I swear it. You're stuck with me for life, brat."

"Good," he muttered and fell back into a restless doze again. Once more, Maggie and I wiped him down with cool water and tried to make him more comfortable. He seemed to be worse than before, though, muttering and screaming in his delirium. I tried to calculate in my mind how long Scully had been gone, how long it would take her to get to the village and back, and wondered how much longer Fox could hold out.

Just as I was beginning to despair, the door opened and Scully entered with the scarlet-cloaked figure of her sword sister beside her. Melissa didn't pause for greetings, moving immediately to Fox's side. She looked at his eyes, inside his mouth, and then laid her head on his chest before straightening up with a sigh.

"It's the pneumonia," she said quietly. She must have seen the desperation in my face for she laid her hand on my sleeve and said, "Do not despair yet, Lord Walter. I have some medicines that have been of help in cases like this." Then she smiled slightly. "I’d tell you to go rest, but I have the feeling that you won’t leave this lad’s side without force."

For what seemed like hours, the three of us worked under Sister Melissa’s direction, grinding herbs to bathe Fox’s fevered body, making tinctures for him to drink to ease the tightness in his chest and the pain in his head. I watched as the Amazon healer mixed some vile looking potion, raising my eyebrow as she told me it was made from mold.

She smiled at that. "I promise that I’m not trying to poison him. This is a medicine known among my people for centuries." She handed me the cup. "Now, if you can just convince Fox to drink this — "

We had already learned through experience that Fox’s delirium made him fight against anyone who touched him and only I could break through the haze enough to catch his attention. I sat down on the bed and stroked his cheek tenderly.

"Open up, Fox," I ordered and, the minute his mouth opened, ruthlessly tilted the vile stuff down his throat.

He choked and sputtered. "Ugh! Awful!" he protested tearfully.

I wiped down his face with another cool cloth. "I know, my heart, but it’s for your own good."

"That’s what you usually say when you’re about to do something I won’t like," he said faintly.

I couldn’t help laughing at that — it sounded so much like his normal self. "I live to torment you, my Fox. So you must live to keep me amused."

"I’ll try, Master," he murmured, his eyes drifting shut again. "Tired…"

"I know, cub," I said tenderly, leaning forward to kiss his hot forehead. "Rest now."

I sat holding his hand for a long time until I felt a hand on my shoulder. "You should rest as well," Sister Melissa said, holding up her other hand at my protest. "He’ll sleep for a long while now. Go — eat, bathe, rest."

My stomach rumbled and I couldn’t remember the last time I had eaten. I realized that I didn’t even have any idea how long it had been since Fox had fallen ill, although it felt like a year at least.

"All right," I said reluctantly. "You’ll let me know — "

Scully nodded, pushing me toward the door. "We’ll get you if there should be any change. Now go. Melissa and I will watch him while you and Maggie rest."

Wearily, I headed down the hallway to the bathing chamber and sank into the warm water with a grateful side. As tired as I was, I didn’t dare to linger for fear that I would fall asleep here. Maggie brought me a bedgown and a plate of meatrolls, telling me that the guest room upstairs had been readied for me to sleep in. I nodded and wearily made my way upstairs, and was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

When I awoke, it was dark outside again and I felt stiff from sleeping so long. There was a covered plate on the bed table but I wasn't hungry. What I needed was to be back at Fox's side, watching over him. Since I had been left to sleep so long, it was apparent that Fox's condition hadn't changed, and I didn't know whether that was good or bad. I belted on my heavy robe and headed downstairs.

Opening the door to the bedchamber, I saw that Fox was resting quietly, either asleep or unconscious. The Amazon healer was standing beside the bed, her eyes closed. She was holding Fox's amulet above him, concentrating on something, so I closed the door quietly. My bare feet were cold and I went to the wardrobe to look for my favorite house shoes. Not finding them there, I began searching the room, trying not to disturb the healer.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when she said, quietly, "They're under the bed."

"What?"

"Your slippers. Fox told me that you always leave them there when you go to bed."

I looked there and found them, thinking that Fox must have come back to consciousness while I slept although why they would have discussed my shoes was beyond me. "When did he tell you that?"

"Just now." She opened her eyes and smiled at me across the bed, then reached out for my hand. Holding it over Fox's chest, palm down, she said, "He's here. He knows what's happening, what we are doing and saying."

I frowned, pulling my hand away. "I'm sorry, Sister Scully. You are a wise woman and I admire your healing abilities, but I can't believe that."

"Can't - or won't?" Her eyes were cool but sympathetic.

"Aren't they really the same?" I turned away from her and walked over to the fireplace. "I lost my faith a long time ago, when I learned what people - even religious people - were capable of doing in the name of politics and religion."

"There are others who have suffered as greatly as you, and they have kept their faith. Like Fox, here."

My lips twisted. "Yes, well, Fox is special. He wants to believe. And maybe he is stronger than I am."

"He needs your strength now." I turned my head sharply at the tone in her voice, a sad and almost resigned tone. "Fox is deciding whether or not to move on. He needs your help."

"My help to die?" I was horrified at the idea.

"Or to live." She tucked the amulet back into Fox's hand and walked over to the door, turning to look at me. "Talk to him, Lord Walter. I think that there is much that you have to say to him. And much that he has to say to you as well."

I stared at the closed door for a long moment, then walked over to the bed and looked down into the face of the man I loved. He was so quiet and still, so peaceful, that for a moment I feared that he was dead. Only the slow rise and fall of his chest reassured me that he was still on this side.

With a groan, I fell to my knees beside the bed and buried my face in the blanket, my head over his heart. "Fox. Don't leave me. Please, please don't leave me. I need you. I love you. If you die - " My voice choked on a sob and then all the longing and love and fear came rushing out of me. I wept as I hadn't since I had held vigil over my father's slain body and held onto Fox's hand as tightly as I could.

 

Fox

There was a heavy weight on my chest. Actually, there were two weights - one inside and one outside - but it was the outside weight that seemed the most important at the moment. I blinked open my eyes and tried to lift my head so that I could see what the weight was, but the world around me seemed fuzzy, covered in darkness. Panicked, I tried to move but my arms and legs felt like lead.

"Where - " My voice sounded like a croaked whisper and I tried again. "Where am I?"

There was movement around the area of my chest, and Lord Walter looked up, a smile starting to lighten those deep brown eyes. "With me."

"Oh. Good." It sounded like a reasonable answer and there was something very nearly like joy in his voice, so I thought that being with him must be a good thing. Echoes of memory whispered in my head. "Not leaving you," I murmured. "Never leaving you."

Lord Walter cleared his throat and if I hadn't known him better, I would have sworn that it sounded like he had been crying. "Good. Now go back to sleep, cub."

Something else hovered on the edge of my memory, something I should remember, something important. But my head ached and I was so tired. It would wait till morning, I thought. "Hold me?" I asked sleepily, unable to keep my eyes open another second.

A moment later, I felt a warm body slide into bed next to me and I rolled into his arms with a contented sigh. I slept.

 

Chapter 7

Walter

It would be too much to say that Fox was back to his old self in no time - he wasn't. The worst of his illness had dragged on for three days and had left him shattered in body. He remained bed-ridden for another week, racked by coughs so painful that it tore out my heart to hear them. His appetite was non-existent and he had to be coaxed to eat anything, and I could see all the weight we had managed to put back on him slipping away daily. It was a frighteningly fragile man that I held in my arms at night as my fingers tracing the all too apparent bones, and it took all of our concerted efforts to keep his thin body warm. Not that he gave us any trouble - and that was another frightening thing. This Fox was docile and obedient, meekly swallowing his medicine and eating what little his stomach could manage. Gone was the headstrong young man who had captured my heart and left in his place was a boy who I feared had been shattered in spirit as well as body.

After the first heart-wrenching week, Fox began to strengthen and slowly put on weight, and Maggie allowed him to get out of bed for a few hours every day. Our days fell into a routine over the next few weeks. After waking up, I would coax him to eat warm spiced cereal and then carry him to the bathing chamber where I washed him and let him relax in the warm water while Maggie tidied up the bedchamber. Then I carried him back to my chamber where I gave him a massage to ease bed-ridden muscles, put him into a fresh bedgown and tucked him back in bed. At this point, Fox was usually worn out and would nap until lunchtime when he would manage some soup. The late afternoons were the best for Fox would be rested and we'd spend a few hours before supper sitting in front of the fire, although gone were the spirited discussions of the past. This Fox was content to sit quietly and let me read to him. Then, after supper, I would tuck him back into bed and he was usually asleep within minutes. I generally fell into bed shortly afterwards, more worn out by nursing Fox than by the fiercest combat.

After two weeks of this, Fox suddenly asked one afternoon if we could sit in the library and I nearly crowed with joy at this first sign of interest in anything. Wrapping him as warmly as if we were going on an artic expedition, I carried him into the library and settled him into my big chair. He patiently bore with my fussing over him although he protested when I sat down on the floor next to his legs instead of in the other chair. I ignored him, leaning my body against his legs, and that ended his protests. Instead, I felt his hand on my head, gently stroking my scalp as if fascinated with it. I closed my eyes and relaxed under his touch.

"Master?"

"Hmm."

"You don’t have to stay here with me. I know that you must be busy — " His voice was soft, tentative, and I hated the uncertainty in it.

"I want to be here," I said firmly, then looked up at him with a smile. "No one else in the castle will massage my head." He laughed softly at that and leaned over to press a kiss against my scalp. "Besides, I don’t want to be that far away from you. I can’t believe how close I came to losing you, my Fox."

We sat silent again for a long time and I nearly fell asleep under the skillful attention of those long fingers.

"Master?"

Sleepily, I murmured, "Yes, Fox?"

"I can't find my collar."

That got my attention. I turned my head to look up at him, frowning. "What do you mean - you can't find it?"

He flushed slightly but there was a stubborn look that I knew well on his face. "I - looked for it yesterday. While you thought I was napping."

If it wasn't for the need to maintain discipline, I would have pulled him into my lap and kissed him insensible. My Fox was back, troublesome and lovable brat that he was. "You did what? Do you want to have a relapse? Getting out of bed, hunting all over the room, in bare feet no doubt - you haven't got a bit of sense, have you?"

Fox ignored this inconsequential scolding. "You said I was supposed to wear the collar but I couldn't find it."

It was my turn to flush. "I destroyed it," I muttered.

"You did what?"

I took a deep breath. "I destroyed it — had it melted down. It's gone," I said looking back up at him. "You won't ever have to wear that thing again, I swear it. And if I had known how you felt about it, I wouldn't have said that in the first place."

He blinked. "I'm a slave. Why should it matter how I feel about anything?"

Now was the time, my heart urged. Now was the time to tell him how I felt about him. "It matters," I said shortly. "You are more than just a slave to me, Fox. Much more." I hesitated, torn between my need to tell him how much I loved him and afraid of what his reaction would be if I asked him to stay with me. "And that still doesn't change the fact that you were wandering about - practically naked in the middle of winter - when you nearly died - "

His lip stuck out in the pout that I adored and I had the fleeting thought of "Discipline be damned!" before I reached out and pulled him into my lap. I kissed him thoroughly, giving in to the need to reconnect, and when I finally released him his eyes were dazed.

"M-Master?" he managed to gasp.

I grinned down at him and stroked his cheek. "Yes, my heart?"

"I thought - you haven't kissed me like that since I got sick. I thought you didn't want me…that I looked ugly to you now."

I kissed him again, even more thoroughly, to disabuse any such notion. "Idiot," I said softly when I let him back up, wheezing a bit as he tried to catch his breath. "You've been so sick. I didn't want to do anything that might hurt you."

He pressed his lips against mine, gently. "I'm fine now, Master. And I want you."

"Fox - "

"Please, Master?" His lips moved down my face, along my jaw, and down my neck. "I need you so badly."

My blood caught fire and I stood up, lifting his body up in my arms. It was only when I got us into the bedchamber that I began to have doubts again. Stripped naked, he was still so thin that I could feel his hipbones when I ran my hands over his body.

"I don't know, Fox, " I began, afraid that my heavier body would bruise him.

He pressed his body against mine, kissing me again. "I could be on top and ride your cock."

My favorite fantasy suddenly flared to life behind my closed eyes and I knew that, finally, this was the right time. "I've got a better idea."

I pulled him down on top of me on the bed and saw him grin before I kissed him insensible again. When we broke apart, I pulled my knees up against my chest and watched his eyes widen in disbelief.

"M-master?"

I reached up a hand to caress his cheek. "Yes, my heart. I want you inside me." I saw the flush of arousal on his face and it was even better than my fantasy.

"I've never - I don't want to hurt you."

I pulled his head down for a brief kiss. "You won't. And I'm not a virgin. Just prepare me the way I do you and I'll be fine."

His eyes caught fire at that and he kissed me hard before sitting back up and reaching for the pot on the nightstand. Tentatively, he pressed an oiled finger into me and then two. I hissed at the unfamiliar stretching as a third finger joined the others and his eyes darkened with worry but I caught his head and kissed him until he forgot everything else but the need to be buried deep inside me. He slid home in one smooth stroke, panting as he lay across my chest, and I kissed whatever I could reach on his face before bucking my hips to show that I was ready for more.

That was all it took. His body came to life above mine, hips thrusting as he pushed himself up on his knees and pulled my legs over his shoulders. I hissed again but this time from pleasure and rocked my body to meet his thrusts, moaning as I felt that long, slender cock brush over my pleasure spot. He heard that and changed the angle of his thrusts until he was constantly hitting it and that was all it took. I shouted out loud and came harder than I had in a long, long time. I heard his yelp of surprise as my internal muscles tightened around him and I forced my sex-sated eyes open. I wanted to see this, wanted to watch him as he came inside me for the first time. His face was flushed and strained with pleasure, sweat dripping off him, and I thought that he had never looked more beautiful. And then, when he opened his eyes and stared down at me, I knew that I would never forget the look in his eyes, not even if I lived to be a hundred.

"Walter," he murmured, and I don’t think he even knew what he said after that as he pressed soft kisses over my face. "So good…never knew…"

I folded my arms around him and pulled him down to rest his tired head on my shoulder, smiling contentedly at the ceiling as I felt him slip immediately into an exhausted sleep. It had been better than good, better than I had ever known it could be, better than every fantasy. And the look in his eyes when he came inside me was the greatest gift that I had ever known.

Fox loved me. Of that I now had no doubt. With his heart and his body and soul.

But I still didn't have a clue whether or not he would stay with me.

 

Chapter Eight

Fox

The horses were stamping their feet impatiently in the cold morning air. I looked over at them, then back at Lord Walter, resolutely pasting a smile on my face. It didn't fool him in the least, though. Tenderly, he cupped my cheek.

"Don't look so sad, my cub. I must make the rounds of all my vassals, ensuring that they are ready for the spring planting. I'll be back in a month — less if the roads are in decent shape."

"I'll miss you, Master," I murmured, nuzzling my face into his hand and kissing the palm. "Are you certain that I cannot go with you?"

"Fox, it's only been a month and you're still recovering. This morning, you coughed for a full 10 minutes upon waking, and I thought you were going to pass out from lack of air. Trudging from keep to keep in this damp weather could cause a relapse and I won't risk that." He grinned at me. "Besides, Maggie would kill me if I tried to take you along."

"But I'll miss you," I said, knowing my voice sounded forlorn. It had only been two days since I had intimately known the pleasures of this man's body for the first time and he had yet to reclaim my body as his. I could hardly bear to be out of his sight, much less so many hundreds of miles apart.

He enfolded me in his arms. "And I will miss you, my heart. But it is only for a month."

"But who will look after you? Bathe you and keep your clothing?"

He chuckled. "I am capable of looking after myself, Fox. And if not, I'm sure that I'll be able to find someone to help."

I frowned, not liking that thought. Even more upsetting was the thought that Lord Walter might take others into his bed while he was away from me. Not that I had any right to protest. If Lord Walter wanted to take a different lover into his bed every night, it was his right. I should be grateful that he hadn't done that here before my eyes, and that he hadn't tired of me or given me to others.

He kissed my forehead, smoothing away my frown. "Don't worry, my cub. There is none other who could hope to take your place." He squeezed me and let me go. "However, if I don't leave now, I'll never make the first keep before dark."

I followed him to his horse, standing by his stirrup as he pulled on his gloves and looked around. "Lt. Lamana, are we ready?"

"Aye, my lord."

He looked over my head at Captain Scully as she came to stand behind me. "I leave Beauforte and my Fox in your capable hands, Captain."

"Thank you, my lord," Scully said gravely. "I will guard both of them with my life."

He nodded and looked down at me again. "No moping, brat. I expect you to eat all your meals, and sleep properly — in my bed, not on the floor. You have your studies to keep you busy, and I'll write to you every week to let you know of our progress."

I could feel the smile blossom on my face. "You will? Oh, thank you, Master!"

There was a peculiar expression on Lord Walter's face and he abruptly leaned over and kissed me hard. "I shall miss you greatly, my heart," he murmured against my lips. "Make yourself strong for me, and I promise you a reunion that you will never forget."

Lord Walter straightened and signaled to Lamana, then rode out of the castle at the head of his troop. I raced across the courtyard and ran up the steps to the castle's battlements. Standing on the highest part of the castle, I watched him ride away from me until my straining eyes could see nothing but a faint dot on the horizon.

"Milord Fox," said a gentle voice behind me. "Come down from here. You are still unwell, and standing in this chill wind will be your death."

Reluctantly, I let Scully lead me down to the manor house, let Maggie fuss over me and tuck me into bed with a warm brick at my feet and a cup of hot soup in my hands. But my heart was far away, riding over the mud and snow-streaked land, and moving farther away with every breath.

 

The first week dragged by, each day an eternity to be endured. I went through the motions because I knew Lord Walter would want me to, but I had little interest in anything. I spent most of my days in either the library or Lord Walter's chamber. I slept fitfully at best, more often than not falling asleep in the chair by the fire while reading because I was unable to bear sleeping in that big bed alone. My appetite vanished although Maggie coaxed me to eat, tempting me with my favorite dishes. Even my favorite books held no interest for me.

The end of the first week was marked by the arrival of a messenger, bearing scrolls for William with the planting estimates and repair needs — and a small missive for me. I snatched it up without even a semblance of good manners and fled to the library to read it. Breaking the seal, I hastily scanned the lines but saw no word of trouble, so I started again at the top, reading slowly.

My dear Fox — I hope that this missive finds you well and in good spirits, although I am doubtful about either. I don’t believe that I need to remind you of the penalty for abusing your body, do I? I am well, though cold and wet more often than not. I will be glad to be back snug at home, and have thought wistfully of you and our afternoons in the library on more than one occasion. And sleeping in my solitary — and generally hard — bed at night reminds me of other comforts that I am missing. I suppose that I am getting soft in my dotage. Be well and behave. Your Walter

I hugged the paper to my chest, chiding myself for being foolish over a simple note. The teasing tenderness had undone me, however, and I buried my face in the rug and cried myself to sleep.

Waking in the early evening, I was surprised to find that my heart felt lighter, calmer than it had all week. I suppose that I had needed to do that, to release my fear and sadness. One week was behind us, Lord Walter was well, and his words had been reassuring. No doubt it was my overactive imagination, but there seemed to be a deeper emotion behind his words, something that I might have even called love.

"I love you, too," I whispered into the night, and suddenly I realized that I was very hungry.

And so the weeks dragged by, each punctuated by the arrival of the messenger from Lord Walter. I read each note over a hundred times, each word etched into my memory, before carefully folding them and tucking them into my pouch. I had recovered some of my usual spirits and I know that both Maggie and Scully were relieved to see my appetite return to something closer to normal. I still had troubles sleeping, though, and my dreams were filled with images of Lord Walter being hurt. And I still slept in the chair more often than not. But in the daylight, I was able to shrug off the nightmares.

And then the fourth week had passed but this time with no messenger. Scully frowned but said that perhaps the man was delayed, or Lord Walter was on his way home and so sent no messenger when he would be back with us soon. When no messenger arrived on the second day, I panicked but Scully and Maggie reassured me that it was not uncommon for something to delay his lordship — unexpected business, bad roads, and so forth.

On the third day, Scully announced that she was taking a small troop of men out to check for news, to contact the woodsmen and see if there was any news. Assuring me that she would be back with good news before dark, she left the Castle and me in the hands of Sergeant Pendrell.

I was good for nothing that day. I attempted to concentrate on a list of the work that needed to be done on the estate but, after spoiling three quills and a parchment, gave it up. Once again, my appetite had deserted me and not even Maggie's threats could keep anything down. I avoided the library, unable to bear its friendly warmth, and spent my time walking the battlements, looking with anxious eyes for a sign of either Lord Walter or Captain Scully on the horizon.

It was there that one of the pages found me just before sunset. I had drifted into a half-sleep, unaware of anything around me, and he had to call my name several times before I realized that someone was there. Then he handed me a note, saying that one of the woodsmen had brought it. Feverishly, I ripped it open.

F. - I know that you have no reason to like me and even less to trust me, but you must listen for once. You are in grave danger and your protector in imminent peril of his life. One of his vassals has been suborned and will seek to kill him. There is also a soldier amongst the troops who has been instructed to kill the Amazon and Lord Walter. In either case, you will be delivered to Spender, and you know what that will mean. Be careful, Fox, and trust no one. A.

I stared at the note for a long moment, stunned, then my heart began to pound. Walter. Unexpectedly late. And now Scully, out searching for news. I looked up at the page, trying to control the terror in my heart.

"Is the captain back yet?"

The boy shrugged. "I don't know — I've been in the kitchens all day. I heard horses in the courtyard a little bit ago, though."

I hadn't heard anything, but then again, it was possible that I had fallen asleep. Thanking the page, I practically ran down the steps and entered the manor house, running up to the second floor and pounding on Scully's door.

There was no answer, so I hurried over to the armory, looking in her office and all around the training rooms and the stables, but there was no sight of her and the horse she had ridden wasn't there. I stood there for a long minute, chewing my lip. Sergeant Pendrell would have to be told, shown the note so that he could find the Captain and send her and the troops to rescue Walter. Momentarily, I wondered if I could trust the sergeant, but he was distantly related to Maggie. The problem was that he was up in the barracks and I was forbidden to go there.

I hesitated for a moment. But the words from the note were racing through my head and an overwhelming sense of urgency filled me. I tucked the note into my pouch and hurried up the stairs to the barracks.

At the top of the stairs, I hesitated again and looked around. I stood on a small, dark landing. Ahead of me was a narrow hallway and, from the sounds of laughter coming from the end of it, I assumed that the common room was at the end of it. On either side of the hallway was a doorway, probably the private rooms of Lamana and the sergeants. I knocked on the doors and then opened them, but both rooms were empty. I swallowed hard and decided that I would have to go into the common room. It wasn’t that I was really worried that any of the soldiers would attempt anything, despite William's warning, since I doubted that they wanted to risk Lord Walter's anger. But I had been hoping to limit the number of people who knew about this little excursion of mine and now there was no doubt that Lord Walter would find out.

Thinking of him reminded me of the urgency of my mission, and I started down the hall. Suddenly, a hand grabbed me from behind and pulled me backwards. Startled, I opened my mouth to shout only to be silenced by a rough hand across my mouth. I found myself being half-carried toward the landing, kicking and struggling, and I bit the hand over my mouth.

"Shit!"

I found myself abruptly dropped onto the floor, the breath knocked out of me. Then I was hauled back up off the floor and the backhanded blow I received made my eyes water and my ears ring.

"Damn catamite!" The man slammed me back into the wall, pinning my body there, and I managed to focus my eyes long enough to recognize my attacker. Modell, one of the soldiers who was a friend of Colton’s. I had heard that low, ugly voice many a time in the courtyard, had heard the mocking comments he and Colton had made, and had so far managed to ignore them.

I was in serious trouble now.

Modell wasn't alone and Colton looked like he would pass out from fear at any moment. "Are you crazy? He's Lord Walter's plaything - he'll kill you for even looking at him much less touching him."

"Oh, I plan to look, and touch, and do more than that." Modell leaned against me and his alcohol-saturated breath was foul. "What do you say, pretty little Fox? The old man not got enough to satisfy you so you came looking for a little fun?"

"No - looking for Sgt. Pendrell - let me go - " Modell's hands pinched and poked at me, and I swore and kicked and tried to get free.

"Pendrell's gone into town looking for a bit of slap and tickle, and the Captain's away so there's no one to rescue you, pretty boy. We promise not to hurt you - much."

"I'm not having anything to do with this," Colton said quickly, nervously. "Let him go before you get in serious trouble - "

"Too late."

I recognized that steel-laced voice and there was a whooshing noise through the air as the tight arms suddenly released me. There was a funny sound and something warm and liquid spattered me but I was too busy falling to the floor and trying to crawl away to care. Soldiers piled into the hallway from the common room, no doubt drawn by that unearthly screaming. Over the noise, I heard an icy voice giving orders.

"You two - take the body outside the gates and into the woods. Strip it and leave it for the scavengers. You two - shut Colton up, take him down to the whipping post and chain him up. At first light, he'll receive forty lashes. You - ride into town and find Sergeant Pendrell. Tell him to button it up and get back here within the hour or I'll relieve him of his balls. Consider this a warning, men. The next one who lays a finger on Milord Fox will be flayed alive. And as for you - "

A strong hand lifted me up off the floor by the back of my shirt and dragged me downstairs to the armory. Then I was pushed me up against the wall and I found myself staring into icy blue eyes.

"What were you doing up there? It was expressly forbidden and you know it." She pushed upward and my feet left the ground. "If I find that you're slipping around behind his lordship's back, I'll kill you myself. I know a hundred places to hide a body where it will never be found and I'll tell him you ran away."

"I wasn't," I gasped, and she eased her grip a little so that I could breathe. "A message came for me - Lord Walter in danger. Tried to find Pendrell - I swear -"

She shook me. "Where's the note?"

"My pouch." Captain Scully released me and ripped my pouch off my belt, opening it and pulling out the folded paper inside. "Not that one - " I began as she unfolded the note Lord Walter had sent me at the end of the first week. She read it quickly, glancing at me briefly, then folded it back up and put in back in the pouch. She unfolded the other note, the one I had received today, and read it.

"You're telling me the truth." I breathed a sigh of relief and she handed me back my pouch. "You know that he's going to beat you senseless over this."

"I know. I plan to tell him as soon as he gets back." Fear suddenly raced through me. "If he gets back."

She squeezed my shoulder. "We'll find him. Now, take off your shirt. Wait - close your eyes first, pull it off and hand it to me with your eyes closed." I did as she instructed and heard her move away. She returned and I was startled to have an ice-cold bucket of water dump over my head.

"What the hell - " I sputtered, and she thrust a towel into my hands.

"You had Modell's blood and brains all over your hair and shirt."

My stomach lurched and I stumbled out the door to a darkened corner of the courtyard, losing the contents of my stomach as it heaved in rebellion. I felt a warm hand on the back of my neck offering comfort and I accepted the towel again.

"Thanks," I said weakly, and leaned against the cool plaster gratefully. "And thanks for rescuing me in there."

"You're welcome. Now let's get you cleaned up." She braced me with one arm around my waist, guiding me across the courtyard.

From outside came a reply to the challenge of the night-guard, then the postern door opened and Sergeant Pendrell raced in, sliding off his horse before it had even stopped.

"What happened - " He halted, seeing me pale and shirtless and no doubt still streaked with blood and the Captain grim-faced.

"My office. Five minutes."

I think that he went even paler than I was and he swallowed hard. "Yes, Captain."

The Captain walked me all the way to the bathing chamber and sat me down, removing my boots. "These will need to be cleaned - I'll take them with me. Pendrell can do that as part of his penance. Strip and give me the rest of your clothes - they'll have to be burned." I obeyed, handing her the breeches, carefully not thinking about the dark patches on them. "Into the water and scrub well. I'll send Maggie in to check on you while I go talk to Colton and find out what he knows."

"But Lord Walter - "

She turned back and gave me a curious look. "You love him, don't you? You're carrying that note of his around in your pouch and it looks like you've read it a hundred times."

I flushed and looked down. "Yes. I love him, and I swear I would never do anything to hurt him. I'd die first."

"I know. We'll find him," she said gently, "But we can't do anything in the middle of the night. At first light, we'll ride out in search of him. And Fox — I promise that we’ll find him." And then she was gone.

 

Walter

Stretching my feet towards the fire, I contemplated the seriousness of my situation. That I was in grave peril I had no doubt, and it was all the more dangerous for the apparent peacefulness of the setting. It was likely that, unless I kept my wits, I would be dead before morning. Not for the first time that day, I thanked the Gods that I had not brought Fox with me.

The fact that my host was not pleased that I had not brought Fox with me was the first thing that had aroused my suspicions. Arriving at the last holding on my circuit, we had been warmly welcomed by my vassal, Louis de Cardinale, and I had been settled in the man's own chambers even as he profusely apologized for the irregularities in the keep's housekeeping.

"My wife is away, attending the laying-in of our daughter - our first grandchild," he had said in explanation. I had congratulated him on the event but the absence of the gentlewomen of the keep was another suspicious item. Together with my vassal's inexplicable knowledge of my slave and the nervousness he showed when learning that Fox wasn't with me, an ugly picture of treachery began to form in my head.

I pulled Lamana aside before going in to dinner. "Stay sharp," I warned him. "I sense treachery here."

He nodded and went off to quietly instruct his men while I endured a protracted meal during which Cardinale attempted to drink me under the table while the talk skirted along treasonous issues, tempting me to speak a word against the King or the Priests that could get me arrested. He was unsuccessful in both attempts. I had long ago learned how to dodge political issues, and I had developed a hard head for drinking. Still, I was taking no chances and I made it look like I was drinking more than I actually was. As the evening went on, I feigned an increasing drunkenness, noting with grim amusement the predatory gleam in Cardinale's eyes. I excused myself finally, weaving a little as I headed towards my chamber, and felt eyes on my back as I walked.

Once safely in my chamber, I splashed cold water on my face to shake off any lingering effects from the wine. There was a soft knock at the door and I quickly let Lamana in.

"You were right, my lord," he said without preamble. "The Captain broke out the ale and they brought in whores. By midnight, they'll expect our men to be out cold."

"And your men?"

He grinned. "Lord, they should all take to the stage once their soldiering days are done. You've never seen such a bunch of drunken louts in your life. And Cardinale’s captain is acting so smug - he'll never notice that the men are staggering out of the barracks by ones and twos to take a piss. Once we're all out, I've instructed my sergeant to bar the doors and windows from the outside. Cardinale will get no help from that quarter."

"Well done," I said, clapping his shoulder with a feral grin of my own. "Now, back to your men - "

He shook his head. "And leave you here alone with that treacherous weasel? I'm not facing Fox should you get even a scratch - he'd cut off my balls and stuff them down my throat!"

I chuckled. "What, afraid of a mere slave? And an unarmed one at that?"

"Yes," Lamana said fervently. "That boy's protective where you're concerned and I'd rather be dead than face his wrath."

"Very well. But keep still until I give the signal or you'll face my wrath."

I lay down on the bed, fully clothed and covered myself with the blanket, feigning sleep. Lamana settled in a darkened corner and we watched.

It wasn't too long before I heard a faint noise coming from the area where the concealed door lay. I slitted my eyes and slid my long knife from its sheath, waiting tensely as Cardinale silently entered the room. Quietly, he made his way over to the bed and stood over it for a moment, then I saw the upward movement of his arm and a bright gleam in the firelight. In an instant, my own knife was at his throat and Lamana moved in behind him to take Cardinale’s knife.

"All right, Louis. Whose orders are you following?" I asked grimly.

"I - I don't know what you're talking about. I was checking that you were all right -"

"With a knife? After entering through a secret door?" I shook my head. "You've been caught in an attempt to murder your liege lord, a crime of Treason, punishable by death. Whether that death is swift or painful is up to you."

His face paled but there was no groveling or pleading for mercy. Cardinale was no coward, even if he was a villain.

"My men will be here any moment - "

"Your men are locked into the barracks by my men," Lamana growled. "They won't lift a finger to save a traitorous dog like you."

"I won't tell you anything," Cardinale snarled. "Do what you will to me."

"Believe me, I will. But first, I think a night in your own dungeon will make you think. And not only of yourself - if you die a traitor's death, your family will be forfeit as well." I could see his face blanch at that threat although, privately, I determined that this man's children would not meet the same fate as my Fox because of the weakness of their father.

Lamana and I escorted Cardinale out of the keep and across the courtyard towards the dungeon entrance. About a quarter of the way across the open space, Cardinale decided to take his chances. Breaking free from us, he ran towards the postern gate and freedom.

He never made it. From out of the darkness came a bright bolt of wood and feathers, planting itself firmly in Cardinale's chest. He was dead before his body hit the ground.

Any hope that the archer was one of ours was short-lived. Another arrow missed me by inches while a third struck Lamana in the thigh. I threw an arm around him and dragged him to cover in a shadowed archway.

Lamana winced as I took a moment to probe his wound, and I was relieved to see that the arrow had missed the main blood vessels, striking the fleshy part instead. Painful, but at least he wouldn't bleed to death before my eyes.

"One of his men must have escaped," Lamana panted.

I shook my head. "I doubt that Cardinale has the resources to hire a Welsh bowman. No doubt in the pay of their employer with instructions to leave no loose ends."

"So - what are our chances?"

"Pinned here with an unknown and undoubtedly professional assassin perched up somewhere in an unfamiliar castle, and one of us wounded?" I smiled grimly. "Not good. Not good at all."

End of Part 4


	5. Part 5: Found

**Chapter One**

**Fox**

I lay in the bed for hours, staring up in the dark, unable to find any rest. Somewhere out there was Lord Walter – possibly hurt or a prisoner or… I refused to let my mind go down that path. Lord Walter was not dead. I would know if he was, would feel it deep in my heart. I don't know how I knew that, but I was certain it was true.

Finally, I gave up the struggle to sleep and got up. It still lacked several hours till dawn but I thought that Captain Scully would still be awake, questioning the prisoner to find out more about the plots surrounding us, and I thought I might as well go over to her office to see what she had learned. I dressed quickly, slipping on my old soft shoes since my boots were being cleaned, and wrapped the heavy cloak around my body.

The courtyard was a-buzz with activity, unusual for this time of night. It seemed like most of the garrison was getting ready to go somewhere, preparing their mounts and light provisions. The Captain was not with them so I continued into the armory and found her putting on her armor, issuing orders to her second-in-command, Sgt. Pendrell. She turned to me, frowning.

"You should be resting."

"Couldn't sleep. What's going on?"

She gave me a sharp look and picked up her sword belt. "I put Colton to the question. He admitted that Earl Spender had bribed one of the castellans to kill Lord Walter and take you captive. He planned to make it look like you did it and fled the country so no one would look for you and Spender could do what he liked with you. Meanwhile, Modell was supposed to find a way to search your belongings – Colton didn't know for what – and steer us away from looking for you. After his Lordship decided not to take you with him, Modell came up with the idea of abducting you for Spender instead. When you showed up in the barracks, it just made his job easier."

"And Lord Walter? Was he still supposed to be killed?"

"Colton had no idea, but he thought it likely that Cardinale would go ahead. It would have been last night." She must have seen the stricken look on my face because she grasped my shoulder and said quietly, "Lord Walter is not a man to be taken unaware."

I nodded, my throat suddenly tight. "You are going to his rescue?"

She nodded. "If we move quickly, we can be there by dawn. I promise you, M'lord Fox, if there is any way to bring him home safely, I will."

"I'm going with you."

Scully frowned. "Oh no, you're not. We will be riding hard and fast, possibly going into combat. You will stay here where it is safe."

I shook my head stubbornly. "If you leave me here, I'll just find a way to follow. I swear it."

The Amazon's eyes flared with fire and I was suddenly reminded of the previous night. She grabbed my throat and hissed, "You will give me your word that you'll stay right here, or by the gods, I will toss you in the cells until Lord Walter returns. Do you understand me?"

"But-" I gasped.

"Swear it!"

I gave up. "I swear."

She released me, turning her head towards Pendrell. "And you are not to let him near the horses, the gates, or the wall. If he tries anything, lock him up."

"Scully!" I protested. "I just gave you my word!"

"And I know just how much that would be worth if you thought Lord Walter needed your help." Once again she squeezed my shoulder. "We'll bring him back. I swear."

I nodded and she strode away, calling the troop to mount. I looked over at Sgt. Pendrell. "Is there anything else Colton can tell us? Something to help Lord Walter?"

"Not anymore," he said cryptically, following in the Captain's wake. I decided that I didn't want to know what that meant and slowly made my way to the library to wait for Lord Walter's return.

 

 

Walter

By the light of the full moon, we determined that our situation was grave but not impossible. The unknown archer had command over most of the courtyard and had put an arrow through one of Lamana's men when he had attempted to cross to us. The rest of Lamana's men were safe but couldn't get any closer to the stairs that would access the wall above us where the archer was. To add to our troubles, it sounded like Cardinale's troops locked inside the barracks had sobered enough to start seeking a way out and were attempting to batter down the door.

I had extracted the arrow from Lamana's thigh and bandaged the wound as tightly as I dared. His face was paler than usual with pain and anxiety, but at least he was in no danger of collapsing or bleeding to death. Still, I doubted that he would be able to move quickly should the occasion warrant it.

"I've got to get up there, get to that archer," I said quietly.

"Don't see how," Lamana said, peering around the corner of the stable doorway where we had taken refuge.

I jerked my head towards the stable doors behind me. "If I let out some of the horses, it should create enough confusion for me to get over to the turret stairs."

"You can't go up there alone," Lamana objected. "I'll go with you."

"Don't be daft," I said, gesturing to his leg. "You try running up those stairs and you'll bleed to death. I'll be fine."

"You better be, or Fox'll kill me," Lamana grumbled.

I smiled at the thought of the young lieutenant being more afraid of a slave than death, then went to work. Between the two of us, we released half the horses from their stalls, then opened the main stable door and let them out into the courtyard. The ruse worked better than I had expected and, using the horses as both shield and cover, I made my way to the turret stairs. Once there, I pulled off my heavy boots and, in stocking feet, made my way up the steps, sword in hand. Although there appeared to be only one bowman, he might have a companion with him and I wasn't taking any chances.

Luck was with me for a change. The bowman was alone and his attention was completely focused on the courtyard where the horses still milled around. I slipped up behind him and put the point of my sword against his neck.

"Drop your weapon," I growled. Startled, the man complied, and it clattered on the stones below us. I heard Lamana shout to his men and knew that he would take care of the situation below. Meanwhile, I would see about getting some answers from this man.

"Turn around – slowly. And keep your hands where I can see them."

The man slowly raised his hands and started to turn, then, suddenly, leapt up onto the turret wall out of reach of my sword. For a moment, the world seemed to hang suspended as be balanced precariously on the narrow wall, but then he began to topple backwards. I reached for him but too late – with a scream he fell to the courtyard below and lay still.

Cursing under my breath, I ran back down the stairs. I pulled my boots back on my frozen feet, then went to inspect the body. The dead man was unknown to me and carried no identifying papers. I swore again.

"Any luck, my lord?" Lamana asked, joining me.

"Nothing," I said with a sigh, standing up. "You?"

"Cardinale's men are unarmed and under guard, at no additional harm to our men. His captain is waiting for you to question – although he's so sotted that I doubt you'll get anything useful out of him."

I followed him across the courtyard where some of Lamana's men were rounding up the freed horses while others mounted guard over the captured soldiers. I glanced up at sky and sighed. It was at least an hour till dawn. Although I was exhausted from a night without sleep, I wanted nothing more than to ride home and bury myself in Fox's arms. But the men were no doubt exhausted as well, and there was the protection of this holding to arrange before I could return home.

I sighed again. It would be a long time before I could get this miserable mess sorted out and return home. I would write to William this morning, have his eldest son sent here to hold for me. William the younger was a good man – a little tedious but honorable – and had done well managing the demesne farms for me. No doubt he would do well here, and the appointment of the man to hold this keep for me would increase the loyalty of both father and son. Even so, it would take the better part of a month to arrange matters here. There were the records to go through, the stores to inventory, the spring planting to see to. Disposition of Cardinale's widow and young children would need to be made, and young William established before I could even think of leaving.

I turned my attention to Cardinale's captain. Lamana was right, I noted with disgust. The captain was staggeringly drunk and, although his soaked condition indicated a rough-and-ready attempt to sober him up, it was clear that I would get nothing useful out of him. By the unkempt look of his clothing, his drunkenness was a common thing, and that didn't bode well for the garrison under his command. This man would have to go, and the entire garrison would have to be turned over, perhaps every man replaced. I needed Scully here.

A smile slowly grew on my face. I would send Lamana back to Beauforte today – he would heal much better under Maggie's care – with a letter for Captain Scully, ordering her to join me here to see to the garrison. She would expect that duty at any rate, and she could handle it more efficiently than I could, freeing my time to see to the other matters of the keep. Of course, I would need a clerk to go through the records with me, write out the summons to the merchants and farmers under Cardinale's rule, and record the inventory. By now, Fox would be well recovered from his illness and, in any event, it was only a few hours' ride and the weather was passing fair…

I suppressed a chuckle at the reasons I was finding to justify sending for Fox. Besotted fool, I chided myself. Admit the truth – you love the boy and miss him.

I turned my thoughts away from the big bed upstairs and the young man I longed to share it with, and turned to find Lamana watching me, a puzzled look on his face. I allowed my smile to broaden, reaching out to grasp his shoulder.

"You have done well, Lieutenant. Very well, indeed, and I shall tell Captain Scully as much." His face lit up, and the solution to the problem of a new captain here at this keep occurred to me, but I would need to discuss the matter with Scully first. "I shall be sending you back to Beauforte this afternoon, with a message for both William and the Captain, so you need to get some rest. Pick six men to accompany you, and have the others secure the prisoners in the dungeons." I rubbed my eyes wearily, wishing that I had fresh troops to assign to the watch. "We are all tired, so rest is the next order of business."

On the thought, I heard the sound of an approaching troop, a shout giving the pass-code as they hailed the keep. Captain Scully, I thought, my weary mind unable to come up with any alternative. She must have worried when I didn't return on schedule and had come to investigate.

"Open the gates!" I called, and two of the men ran to obey.

The mounted troop swept into the courtyard and I moved forward with words of welcome on my lips. But they died unvoiced as I recognized the man at the head of the troop.

Earl Spender's eyes, cold and empty, met mine. "Lord Walter," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "This is a surprise. I had expected to find you dead."

I felt Lamana move forward to guard my back as I said grimly, "Not for lack of trying on your part." I gestured towards the two bodies before me. "You can take your lackies and leave. Now."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible," Spender said blandly. "You see, I have a warrant for your arrest – in the event that I found you alive and well."

"And what are the charges?"

"High Treason, for a start." Spender dismounted and walked over to the bodies, turning over that of the archer with his foot. "This man was one of the King's Envoys, and I don't think he'll take kindly to the man's murder."

I snorted at that. "Your envoy put an arrow through three men, including Cardinale, and jumped off the turret rather than surrender to me."

"That, of course, is your story. There are others who will tell a different tale." He pulled out one of his foul tobacco sticks and lit it. "So – will you surrender, or will I be forced to have my men attack you and your men? Any that survive will be put to the question, to provide evidence for your trial."

"So I am to be allowed a trial? How generous of you."

"I am a generous man," Spender said. "Even now, you can be spared if you turn over the boy to me."

I drew myself up. "No."

"Pity." Spender drew in a breath from his tobacco stick and let it out in my face. "To give up your life for one worthless slave boy – what a tragic waste."

"If he is so worthless, why do you want him?"

Spender smiled at that, a smile that chilled me to the core. "Why, because I want him. And I intend to have him."

I ground my teeth together and said fiercely, "Over my dead body."

"I think that can be arranged. Of course, it will be over your men's bodies as well."

"And if I surrender? My men will be allowed to go free?"

Spender shrugged. "Of course. You have my word of honor."

"You'll forgive me if I don't value that too highly," I said dryly.

"It doesn't appear that you have any choice in the matter," Spender pointed out, then turned to his captain who had been busy talking with Cardinale's men. "Well, Captain?"

"Cardinale's men say that the boy wasn't with Lord Walter when he arrived, sir."

Spender swore under his breath and swung on Cardinale's captain, and the man blanched under Spender's glare. "You! Gather your miserable excuse for an army and ride to Beauforte. Search the entire place if you have to, but find that boy and bring him to me." He took a menacing step forward. "And you had better not fail me. Understood?"

The man stammered an answer and hurriedly disappeared to gather his men and their mounts. Spender turned back to his own captain "Lord Walter is under arrest. We will take him back to town with us, under heavy guard."

"Yes, sir." The captain turned to me. "Your sword, Lord Walter."

I hesitated for a moment, but the odds were too high. And I needed to stay alive; Fox needed me alive. I unbuckled my sword belt and handed it to him, praying that Captain Scully would be able to get the boy to safety.

 

 

Chapter Two

Fox

A hand clapped over my mouth, startling me awake, and I realized that I had fallen asleep curled up in Lord Walter's chair in the library. I struggled, only to have the hand tighten and a voice hiss in my ear, "Quiet! You want to bring the entire place running?"

I fought harder, recognizing that voice. Alexi. How on earth had he gotten into this place?

"Of course you want to bring all your protectors rushing to your aid - but if you do, you'll never know what happened to Lord Walter."

I stilled and, after a moment, Alexi cautiously removed his hand. "Where's Lord Walter? Is he – is he dead?"

Alexi moved around the side of the chair, tossing me the cloak that I had set aside. "I'll tell you everything, but we have to get out of here first."

I snorted at that. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

He shrugged. "Fine. Sit right here and wait for Spender to take you prisoner. See if I care." He started towards the door.

I sprang out of the chair. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"There's a troop of Spender's men on their way here, and it looks like Cardinale's man-at-arms is leading them. I don't think they're here for a social visit, do you?"

I swallowed hard. "How do you know this? And why should I believe you?"

He shrugged again. "Believe or don't. But if you want to get out of here, we have to do it now."

I grabbed my cloak and fastened it around my shoulders, following him. "What about Maggie and William? Shouldn't we warn them?"

"No time, and they won't be in any danger. Spender wants you."

I thought quickly. I had no intention of trusting Alexi, but he had somehow gotten into the castle so I knew he had to have a way out. Once I was out, I would go after Scully and find out the truth. "All right, I'll come with you. Just give me a moment."

Alexi gave an exasperated sigh but I hurried into my room and grabbed a satchel, putting my knife, the pouch of coins and, on impulse, that odd scroll into it. I hid it under my cloak and joined Alexi who was impatiently waiting in the hallway.

“Are you quite finished?” he asked sarcastically. “Perhaps there’re a few books from the library you’d like to take with us? Or maybe you’d like to stop by the kitchen and ask the cook for a picnic basket while we’re at it?”

Between my lack of sleep and worry over Walter, I had very little patience left. I slammed Alexi up against a wall, my hands around his throat.

“Look,” I snarled at him. “I’ve just about had it with all of you! Pulling me here, pushing me there – You’re getting me out of here, and then I’m going to find Lord Walter, and that’s it! Do you understand?”

“But – “

I slammed him again. “I said, do you understand?”

Alexi glared at me but muttered, “I understand.”

“Good.” I let him go and gave him a mock bow. “Lead on.”

Alexi led the way out of the manor and into the older part of the castle then, much to my surprise, down a narrow flight of stairs. He unlocked an old door at the bottom of the stairs, relocking it behind him. Then he picked up a torch and lit it.

"This way," he said, gesturing towards a dark tunnel before us.

I looked apprehensively at the tunnel. It was dark and dank and obviously hadn't been used in decades. "Where does this go?"

"The village." Alexi started walking and I hurried to follow him, not wanting to get caught in here in the dark. "It was an escape tunnel that the original builder of the fort put in – also handy for smuggling contraband from the bay to the castle."

"How'd you find out about this tunnel?" I asked curiously, wondering if Lord Walter knew about it – and if he knew that Alexi had somehow gotten the keys.

"Je – the king told me about playing under the castle when he was a boy, hiding from his brother. Once I knew about it, finding it was easy."

I frowned at that; if the king was involved in this little plan, I had a feeling that it wasn't in my best interest to go along. But with the keys in Alexi's possession, it was either go forward or remain trapped here. We continued the rest of the journey in silence and I was relieved to see a gradual lightening of the sky ahead of us.

As we reached the entrance, Alexi suddenly dropped the torch and turned, pinning me against the tunnel wall. I gasped, finding it hard to breathe with his arm across my throat. His face was a breath away from mine and he grinned mockingly.

"Don't like being on the other end of the punches, pretty boy?"

"Shouldn't have – trusted you – "

"Oh, I'm not turning you over to that bastard," Alexi snarled. "I'm taking you to the king."

I blinked at that. "Why?"

"Because, you dimwit, Spender has charged your precious lord with treason, and he'll torture the man until he tells them where you are."

My blood ran cold at that but I snarled back, "So you're saving the torturers all that time and trouble?"

Something passed over his face for a moment, and I could almost swear it was pain. "No," he said shortly. "I'm saving Je- the king. It'll kill him to see his brother hurt and disgraced." Then his face tightened again. "As for you, I expect that Spender'll get his hands on you eventually, although the queen will probably want her turn with you first."

I blanched at that and then heard a cool voice say, "I don't think I like that idea." Alexi stiffened and saw an armored female figure step into the sunlight, a naked sword in her hand. "Let him go."

Alexi swore but released me and I rubbed my sore throat with my hand, peering into the bright light. I recognized that voice but the clothing – "Sister Melissa?"

The Amazon healer smiled and inclined her head. "At your service, Fox." She looked over at Alexi. "And you – hands behind your back, if you please."

"How did you – "

" – know you were here?" she asked, giving me a droll look.

"Never mind," I said with a sigh. "You just knew."

"Exactly." She jerked her head towards Alexi who was watching the Amazon warily. "Check him for weapons and then tie his hands behind his back. And quickly, Fox. It isn't safe to linger here."

"Then he was telling the truth when he said that Spender was on his way here."

"His men are searching the castle right now, and undoubtedly they'll turn to the village when they don't find you. I have a boat waiting to take us to safety."

I removed the four knives Alexi had hidden on his body and tied his hands tightly together. "Where are we going?"

"To the Shrine. You'll be safe there."

"But Lord Walter – "

"Is alive but a prisoner." She gripped my shoulder. "Fox, they'll be taking him to Town as well. We can't do anything to get him free now, but once we are safe at the Shrine, I'm sure the Goddess will show us the way. Now come."

I nodded, my heart heavy in my chest, and followed her out of the tunnel.

I found that we were on the shore of the bay, about a half-mile above the village. A small boat with two oarsmen waited on the beach, and a few yards out I saw a larger ship. I drew a deep breath and pushed Alexi ahead of me as I walked down to the waiting boat. Now was not the time to think of my own fears. Lord Walter needed me and, by the Gods, I would not let him down.

 

 

_**Walter** _

Cardinale's troop left immediately, heading south towards Beauforte, while Spender's troop set out on the southeasterly road towards the Mulder River and Spender's own lands instead of directly towards Town. We rode through the morning at a brisk pace, Spender clearly wanting to be off my lands before Scully or Lamana could catch up with him, but once we forded the river, he called a halt to make camp. I was pulled off my horse and secured under guard while the rest of the troop watered their horses and ate their luncheon. Spender paced restlessly, however, his eyes searching the track behind us. And, as the hours dragged past, his temper grew increasingly darker.

The sound of an approaching troop made him stride to the riverbank to scan the approaching men. I had determined at a glance that it was neither Scully nor Lamana, and they didn't appear to have an unarmed prisoner with them either.

"Well?" Spender demanded as Cardinale's man rode into camp and dismounted.

The man wet his lips nervously. "He wasn't there. We searched the entire castle, then we searched the village. There wasn't a sign of him."

Spender growled at that. "And the Amazon?"

"Gone, sir. She must have taken the boy to safety, but none of the servants or soldiers seemed to know anything about it. We even gutted the sergeant, but none of his men would change their story."

Even as I regretted the loss of Sgt. Pendrell, I felt a wave of relief wash over me at the thought that Fox was safe. Bless you, Scully, I thought warmly.

I thought that Spender would explode with anger at this news, and I could see Cardinale's man go white with fear. "Kill him," Spender said curtly to his Captain, jerking his head towards the man-at-arms. "Then send your best assassins ahead of us to Town. The Amazon will take the boy to her Shrine – they are to wait there for her to arrive, then kill her and bring the boy to me."

The Captain nodded his understanding, turning to his men to issue the orders. A sharp cry from the man-at-arms was cut off sharply, and his body fell to the ground. Spender ignored him and the flurry of preparations around him, stalking over to where I sat.

I couldn't help the triumphant smile on my face. "Well, Spender – it seems that your plans aren't going quite as you wanted."

"You are still my prisoner, Lord Walter, and very soon young Fox will be as well," he snapped. "Then we will see who is smiling."

 

 

**_Chapter Three_ **

**_Fox_ **

Once we were safely out of the bay, Melissa freed Alexi's hands and set me to watch him while she consulted with the ship's master – who appeared to be a foster-brother to Captain Scully - about the safest place to set us on shore. I settled onto a coil of rope out of the way of the sailors and watched everything with great interest. I had been on one of the light ships that ran up and down the river in Town as a child, not one of my fondest memories since the motion of the water made me violently ill. But either I had outgrown that or I was simply too worried about Lord Walter to have time to be seasick. Even so, the offer of food by the cook's helper made me shudder.

Alexi had no such qualms, tearing into the roast chicken with a voracious appetite. I silently passed him my portion, telling myself that it was because I didn't want it to go to waste.  I was not feeling sorry for the other man.

He gave me a cautious and puzzled look before picking up the food I offered, continuing to watch me as he slowly ate it. The steady appraisal made me feel funny and I snapped, "What are you looking at?"

He shrugged and tossed the bones over the side, wiping his fingers on his tunic before picking up his mug of watered wine. "Just trying to figure you out."

I frowned. "What's there to figure out? I'm a slave, just like you."

He scowled. "You are nothing like me. You had a home and a family – "

"Which your master took away from me – "

"At least you had one," he snapped back.

"Poor, pitiful Alexi. You think that gives you the excuse for doing whatever you like, don't you?" I said mockingly. He snarled and started to move towards me, but I pulled out the knife Melissa had left with me. "Uh-uh. Sit."

With a furious glare, he sat back down and picked up his mug, ignoring me pointedly as he drank from it. I grinned at that, glad to see the cock-sure slave at a disadvantage for once.

"You never told me why you're so set on protecting the King's feelings," I said, stretching out on my rope seat.

"That's right," he said shortly. "I didn't."

I eyed him speculatively. "Last I saw, Spender had given you to the queen to be her new play-toy. You doing this to make her happy? Or did she get bored with you already?"

He curled his lip. "Her attention span is ten minutes, tops."

"Ten minutes?" I said mockingly. "That's the best you can do? No wonder she got bored."

Green eyes flashed at me. "And what would you know about it, catamite?"

"I know I can last longer than ten minutes, whore. So you ended up back in Spender's stable? Or did you find someone else's bed to warm?" Alexi flushed at that, looking away from me, and I sat up straight. "The king? No, that story won't fly. Everyone knows he hasn't taken anyone to his bed except the queen."

Alexi's eyes flashed up at me angrily, then back down at his mug. Oddly enough, the very fact that he refused to say anything about it convinced me. "It's true. And not only that, you care about him, don't you?" I asked, stunned.

He still didn’t look at me. "He – he was the first one who didn't hurt me," he said lowly. "He cared about my pleasure, too."

For a moment, Alexi looked younger than I, young and uncertain, and I felt another unwilling pang of sympathy for him. "Does he feel the same?" I asked quietly, and he shrugged. "Did he know what you were going to do? Does he know that you’re running around the countryside, kidnapping other people’s slaves?"

He scowled at me. “Of course not!”

“Then I imagine he’s not going to be too pleased with you when you wander back home,” I said with a grin.

“You should talk,” Alexi said snidely. “I don’t think your master would be thrilled to know that you went running off with me. If he gets his hands on you - ”

“I was going to rescue him!” I said indignantly, then I sagged in despair. “Besides, he’s missing. But if it will bring him back, I'd gladly let him beat me black and blue every day.”

"No master is worth that kind of loyalty."

"Mine is."

Alexi snorted at that but said no more. I turned my attention away from the other man, looking towards the shore, and silently repeated my pledge to every god that I could think of. Please, let him be alive, let him be safe, no matter what happens to me. Please.

 

**_Walter_ **

The streets of the town were almost deserted by the time we rode through the gates, too late for the Court to assemble to hear my case. Spender personally escorted me to the common prison cells, the ones used for criminals and traitors, not the more comfortable lodgings where noble prisoners were kept. I ignored the gloating look on his face and calmly walked into the cell, steadfastly refusing to think about the clang of the door closing behind me. Instead, I lay down on the cot and concentrated on Fox, hoping that he was safe, praying that Scully had gotten him to safety.

Under the warmth of my cape, I managed to get a few hours sleep. Still, it was barely dawn when the jailors began making their rounds, waking all of us up, thrusting a cup of water and some bread through the bars. I ignored the bread but thankfully drank the water, then set about making myself as presentable as possible under the circumstances.

After several more long hours, the guards returned to escort me to the Throne room. I gathered my dignity, ignoring the fact that my clothes were the worse for having spent nearly three days in them, and stood impassively before the throne. To one side, I could see my good friend Reggie looking grave and concerned, while my brother steadfastly refused to meet my eyes.

“My lords,” Spender said loudly, walking into the middle of the room. “It is my unfortunate duty to bring forward grave charges against this man. Lord Walter stands accused of conspiring with those who work against the best interests of the kingdom, those who seek to tear down the laws and replace them with their own, those who desire nothing less than the overthrown of our lawful king so that they may put their own man on the throne.”

“Really, Spender,” Reggie interrupted. “You are talking about Lord Walter, a man we all know to be honorable to a fault. He has risked his life for this kingdom, time and again. Twelve years ago, he had the opportunity to take the throne – if he didn’t do it then, why would he do it now?”

“True, but twelve years ago, he hadn’t taken a demon’s get into his household. An incubus who has since used his seductive influences to turn Lord Walter’s loyalties away from the Truth.”

“An incubus that you seem mighty interested in getting into your own hands,” Reggie said dryly.

“So that the priests may examine him, learn how he and his brethren spread their lies, and thus purge their evil influence from the land,” Spender said smoothly. “It is possible that even at this late date Lord Walter may be saved.”

“Fox is just a normal young man,” I said firmly. “He is no demon.”

"See how eagerly he leaps to the defense of this demon-child?" Spender demanded. "The boy is nothing – a slave, a toy, a bed warmer, and yet this man, sprung from the loins of the Highest in our land, is ready to give his life for the slut. If that is not the work of a demon, then what is?"

Even Reggie looked troubled at this statement and I took a deep breath. It would not do to look like a besotted fool – it would not help me or Fox. "The boy is not important. But these charges – if you believe that I have committed Treason, then where is your proof? Surely you have more than this Old Wives' Tale about demon-spawn."

Earl Spender smiled at that and turned to one of his men who handed him several sheets of parchment. "I have here confessions from several of these traitors. All of them spoke of their plan to put Lord Walter on the throne."

I made a dismissive motion. "There are always dissatisfied men who speak of such things. Because they wish to make such a change does not mean that I wish to take the Throne, nor does it make me a conspirator."

"Several of them have admitted that you have attended their traitorous meetings – "

"Which would be difficult for me to do as I have not left Beauforte in months. Or am I accused of harboring these meetings there? In either case, my own servants can vouch for the fact that I have neither left the lands nor had visitors since the last time I was in Town."

Spender continued as if I had not spoken. "Then there is Sir Cardinale's claim that you demanded that your vassals support your claims to the Throne, and that he refused you. He states that he feared for his life – and now he lies dead."

"Killed by one of your men, Spender, after Cardinale tried to murder me in my bed," I said, starting to lose my temper. "If any is to be accused of Treason – "

"You dare accuse me – "

"Enough!"

The voice stunned us both to silence, and I turned to face the throne where Jeffrey now stood. Spender looked as startled by this as I was, a fact I noted with some smugness.

"I will talk with my brother alone." Jeffrey walked towards the antechamber.

Spender blinked. "Is that wise, Majesty? He is accused of Treason – "

Jeffrey paused and turned, and the arrogant look he threw at Spender abruptly reminded me of our father. "Really, my good Earl. I should be afraid of a few minutes conversation with an unarmed man - with my finest guards within call? I think not." He gestured imperiously for me to follow and, with a mock bow to Spender, I did.

Almost before the door closed behind us, Jeffrey spoke. "Is it true, Walter? Do you want my throne?" The pain in his voice stabbed me to the quick and for a moment I felt that I couldn't breathe.

"No! Jeffrey, how could you even think such a thing? I have been your staunchest supporter, I helped put you on that throne when others said you were too young, untried -"

"People change," he said quietly. "You've changed."

"In what way?" I demanded.

"Your infatuation for that slave boy – "

"He has a name," I said through suddenly clenched teeth. "And I am not infatuated with him. I love him."

"More than you love me?" Jeffrey turned and looked at me for the first time, and it tore my heart apart to see the grief in his eyes.

"It is not the same thing. We are brothers; we have the same blood, and I love you more than any other."

"Except this Wolf person." His voice was cross, reminding me forcibly of the petulant nursery-child who had thrown fits whenever I left him to go play with my soldiers.

I sighed and crossed to him, taking his shoulders in my hands. "Jeff, I love you dearly, but Fox is my heart." He pulled away, turning his back on me angrily. "I don't want your Throne or your life. All I want is to be allowed to live peacefully at Beauforte, with Fox, till the end of my days."

Jeffrey turned away again, walking over to the window. He idly traced the patterned glass with a finger. "You know that Spender won't drop this," he said lowly. "Not unless you surrender the boy."

"Even if I knew where Fox was right now, I wouldn't turn him over to Spender."

He turned his head to stare at me in disbelief. "You would give up your life, your honor, for this worthless slave – the son of a traitor?"

"He isn't worthless to me," I said firmly. Then softly, persuasively, I said, "You can end this farce, Jeff. Spender is the danger, not me. Send him away before it is too late."

Jeffrey gave a bark of harsh laughter, angrily dragging his hand over his eyes. "It is already too late. You are not the only one with other lives to protect."

My heart lurched painfully. "Jeff, if you are in trouble, let me help. I – I'll even stay here in Town, for as long as you need me - "

"Will you give up the boy?"

I drew in a deep breath and let it out. "No."

"Then you are a fool! And if you are so determined to run towards your death, far be it from me to stop you!" He strode towards the door, all angry determination, and I couldn't help reaching out a hand to him.

"Jeff – "

"Guards!" he said, flinging open the door, and a handful of guards entered the room. "This man is Earl Spender's prisoner. Take him away." Then he was gone and I knew that the little brother I had loved so dearly was gone as well. Forever.

 

 

Chapter Four

_**Fox** _

It was dusk when we left the ship, putting to about a mile outside Town, Sister Melissa not wanting to take a chance by remaining on board when it docked at the main port. As a precaution, she retied Alexi's hands in front of him and gagged him so that he wouldn't betray our presence. We slipped through the streets, keeping to the shadows as we headed towards the religious center of the Town. Across from the Shrine, we stopped and Melissa took a cautious look around. To reach the Shrine itself, we would have to cross the open plaza in front of it. There were very few people in the streets as it was almost the dinner hour, but Sister Melissa was inclined to be cautious.

"Stay here," she said quietly to me, pulling the knife from her belt and handing it to me again. "And keep an eye on him. I'm going to make sure all is safe first."

I nodded, gripping the knife firmly. "Be careful."

She smiled, clasping my shoulder like a comrade-in-arms. "And you as well."

With another look around, she stepped out into the streets and walked boldly towards the Shrine, just another Amazon returning home for the evening meal. I watched her start up the stairs, intrigued by this different view of the Healer. I had only seen her in the simple gown she preferred to wear as the village Wise Woman, and had never thought about her warrior side. But now, watching as she hurried up the stairs, I realized how much like her Sword Sister she was. Same warrior's outfit and armor, of course, and the same flaming hair bound back as a sign of her Vows, even the same sort of purposeful stride –

She stumbled just before reaching the top step, falling to her knees. I started to go forward to help but Alexi suddenly grabbed my arm, holding me back. I opened my mouth to protest and pull away, then stopped as I saw Sister Melissa fall back on the steps, an arrow protruding from her chest.

Shot, my mind numbly filled in. Hidden assassins.

A shove knocked me against the wall and I dropped the knife. I looked at my companion, started, and saw Alexi pull the gag from his mouth.

"Run, you idiot!" he hissed at me. "Run for your life!" And then he was running himself, away from the Shrine, disappearing into the night.

I spun around and ran blindly down the streets we had come through, letting my instincts guide me as I ducked through side streets and down alleys, heading back into the merchant areas of the Town. Twice I had to duck back into doorways to avoid being seen by the patrolling guardsmen, but finally I reached the little bookstore and barreled into it, startling Brother Frohike who was just preparing to lock the doors.

"Mouldy?" he asked, in stunned surprise. "What are you doing here? I thought you were enjoying your pastoral paradise – "

"Captured," I managed to gasp out. "Walter. They're after me."

Frohike hurried to lock the doors and fasten the shutters, then pushed me towards the hidden stairs to the cellars. "Then we'd better get you out of sight. Your Amazon friend?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. She went looking for Lord Walter. One of – one of her Sword Sisters brought me to Town, planned on hiding me at the Shrine. Only – only they shot her. Right on the steps of the Shrine, Frohike."

Brother Byers had heard that as we came down the stairs and he exchanged a troubled look with Frohike. "That's bad. The Sisterhood takes it personally when one of their own is hurt. If the Sisters decide to avenge her, things could get real messy, real soon."

"We'll worry about that later," Frohike said, helping me towards the back of the workroom where the sleeping quarters were. "You look all done in, Fox. Rest and we'll talk about it when you wake up."

"But Walter – "

"I said rest." Frohike's determined hands pushed me towards a cot. "We'll ask around, see what we can find out about your...friend."

I nodded and sat down on the cot, feeling suddenly exhausted from all the worry of the past few days. The tightness in my chest reminded me that I was still recovering from my illness, and that a lie-down might not be a bad idea. I pulled off my shoes and reached for the blanket.

I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

* * *

I awoke several hours later, feeling refreshed in body if not in spirit. After using the privy and then splashing cool water on my face, I started looking for my hosts. I found the three Brothers in the main workroom, intently studying a scroll pinned to the table.

Brother Frohike looked up at me as I entered. "You look a little better. How are you feeling?"

I shrugged. "Any word?"

They exchanged a look, then Brother Langley said, "I have a friend who works with the Court clerks, and he says that Lord Walter has been arrested and charged with High Treason."

I sat down abruptly. "How – why?"

"I would think the why is obvious," Langley said dryly. "Spender wants you, and he's using your friend to get you."

I shook my head, numb. "Walter won't talk, not matter what they do." I stood up. "I've got to go. If I turn myself over to Spender – "

"They'll kill Lord Walter," Frohike said bluntly. "And you won't be far behind."

"But I've got to do something!" I protested. "I can't just let him die!"

"Rushing in there won't save him," Brother Byers pointed out. "If you're going to get him out, you'll need a plan. And you need to know what Spender wants with you – besides the obvious."

Frohike gestured towards the table. "Which is what that can tell us."

I looked over at the table and recognized the scroll pinned there as the one that the Thinker had given to me, the one I had thrust into my travel pack before leaving Beauforte with Alexi. "You can read it?”

“It's written in Welsh, like many of the old Temple documents," Byers said, and I recalled that he had been a priest of the Temple at one time. "I'm a little rusty, but what I can translate indicates that it's a private record one of the priests involved in Spender's little conspiracy wrote – probably to save his own neck if the group got caught."

"Only it goes deeper than Spender," Langley added. "And the High Priest is involved in it, right up to his scrawny little neck."

"How far back?"

Byers shrugged. "It doesn't say exactly, but it gives the impression that this began during the Old King's days, maybe even had something to do with his death."

I frowned. "But what does that have to do with me or Walter?"

"Plenty," Langley said, sitting down on a stool and peering at me with his shortsighted eyes. "You know that the Priests oversee the minting of coins, right? Well, it seems that for the last twenty years, the High Priest has diverting part of the gold and silver from the minting process into his own private little fund. With the special molds they've been using – which leaves a small cavity of air inside the coin instead of being completely filled – they've been able to siphon off the extra without anyone being the wiser."

I blinked. "What does the High Priest want with money?"

Frohike rolled his eyes. "What do you think? Bribes, hired mercenaries, spies – those things don't come cheap."

"So what has this got to do with me?"

Langley sat back and crossed his arms. "What did your father do in the Clerk's Office?"

I shrugged. "Lots of things. His last post was with the Treasurer's – "

My voice died away as it all started to make sense. My father must have somehow figured out what had happened, about the diverting of the funds. He had kept quiet for a while – maybe even took payment to ensure his silence – but then something had changed. Pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. I had gone to University, planning to follow in his footsteps as a Clerk – and I had come to Spender's notice. And my father could no longer keep silent, so they had killed him.

Anger began to build inside me. These people had destroyed my family, my life, and who knew how many other lives as well. If they were allowed to continue, if they succeeded, the lives of everyone in the kingdom – and beyond – could be ruined as well. "We have to stop them."

"And just how do you plan to do that?" Byers asked dryly. "Just march up to the palace and demand to see the king, show him this? You'd be in the cell next to Lord Walter before you could blink."

There was a noise from the stairs, a yelp from Max, and then the sound of booted feet coming down the steps. Byers grabbed my arm, pushing me towards the back rooms and the escape tunnel there, even as I heard Max's protesting voice.

"Uncle Melvin, she insisted – "

"Where's Milord Fox?"

I knew that voice. I stopped and swung around, relieved to see Captain Scully's form fill the doorway. "Scully!"

She crossed the room in two steps, pulling me into a hard embrace. "I didn't dare hope," she muttered, clutching me tight. "When I found Sgt. Pendrell's body – if it wasn't for Sister Melissa's note - "

"Pendrell's dead?" I asked, horrified at the thought that someone else had died to protect me.

She held me at arm's length and scowled. "Just how did you get out of the keep?"

I flushed. "Alexi. He snuck in and helped me slip out, only he wanted to turn me over to the King. Then Sister Melissa showed up and brought me to Town – we were going to the Shrine for sanctuary, but – " I paused and swallowed hard, reminded of one more death because of me. "She'd dead. Assassins shot her on the steps of the Shrine."

Scully's hands tightened on my shoulders. "Any news of Lord Walter?"

Frohike stepped forward. "He's in prison, charged with Treason. They are still searching for Fox."

Scully drew in a deep breath. "Then we must get you safely out of town. My foster-brother, Charles, has a ship, and he can take us to the Continent – "

"No."

Scully glared at me. "What do you mean, 'no'?"

"I'm not going."

"You are, if I have to tie you up and carry you aboard ship."

"Walter wouldn't run away if I was the one in prison, and I'm not going to leave him to die."

"And you think he would allow you to risk your own life for his?" she demanded.

"He isn't exactly here to forbid me, is he? I'm going to get him out of there."

"By yourself?"

The condescending tone in her voice made me angry. All right, I was no soldier, but I was tougher than she thought. Besides, this was Walter, and I would crawl over broken glass to get to him if necessary. "If I have to."

She must have seen the determined look on my face because she exploded. "Are you crazy? Are you completely insane?" she yelled. "How do you think you're going to get him out?"

"I don't know." I drew a deep breath. "I love him, Scully. I've got to try to get him out or die in the attempt." I looked at her, meeting her eyes. "I'd do the same for you, and I know he'd do the same for us."

Her eyes locked on mine, then she sighed. "All right. I'm coming with you."

"So am I." We both swung around as Frohike spoke. "We're all going."

Scully studied the brothers' faces. "You understand that if we are not successful, we could all be arrested? Imprisoned? And you're still willing to take that chance?"

Langley shrugged. "I don't think we have any other choice. We're going to need Lord Walter."

Byers nodded. "He still has a lot of supporters in Court and throughout the land. He's our only hope for stopping Spender's plan."

Scully looked puzzled and I gestured towards the scroll on the table. "Brother Byers deciphered that. It details the plan to overthrow the king – the High Priest, Spender, and all the others who are involved. If we don't stop them now…"

Scully sighed and sat down on a stool, rubbing her face wearily. "And just how do you plan to get Lord Walter out of prison?"

I frowned, trying to remember details of the palace from the two weeks that I'd spent there before Midwinter. Then I had a sudden mental image – that of an irate Lord Walter emerging from the bookcase via a hidden doorway. "Scully, did you know about the secret entrance to Lord Walter's rooms, the one through the bookcase?"

She nodded. "I used to play in the hidden passageways as a child."

"Passageways?" Langley asked, his face lighting up. "What kind? Where do they go?"

"All over. They were part of the original building, used by the lower servants to access the rooms to clean fireplaces and chamber pots instead of using the main corridors – and, no doubt, used by lovers to slip into rooms without being seen. When the late king acquired the place and turned it into his palace, he added on the new wing where most of the Court is housed, and people stopped using those passages."

"But they're all over the old section, right?" I asked eagerly. "And the dungeons are in the old section."

She shook her head. "The passages don't go all the way to the dungeon."

"But they go close enough, don't they?" I persisted. "We'll be able to at least get into the palace and get close without being detected."

"I suppose so," Scully said slowly. "One of the passages – the one that runs behind Lord Walter's rooms – leads up from the postern gate, intersecting with another passage that leads down to the old storerooms. There's little activity there at night; we could probably get into the prison section without being seen." She gave me a dark look. "That still doesn't get us into his cell – or get him back out without being seen."

"We'll worry about that once we get in," I said determinedly, and she sighed but nodded. "All right. We'll wait till dark and then we'll go get Lord Walter out of there."

"If he's still alive," Frohike pointed out, and I glared at him.

"Of course he's still alive!" I snapped, praying that I was right. I wouldn't allow myself to think of any other possibility.

 

 

_**Chapter Five** _

_**Walter** _

The door to my cell opened but I ignored it, turning my head away from the sudden light that flooded my cell. Even that slight movement reopened the welts on my back and I caught my breath at the sudden pain that flooded my body.

"Good afternoon, Lord Walter."

I bit my lip until the pain passed, determined not to give him the satisfaction of hearing me groan. "Spender." I spit out his name like a curse. "What do you want?"

"Information."

I laughed hoarsely. "I don't know where the boy is and, even if I did, I wouldn't tell you."

"We believe young Fox is in town," Spender said, ignoring me. "Your Amazon captain was killed on the steps of her Shrine last evening. I assume that she brought the boy to town with her, but he wasn't found anywhere in the vicinity. So where would he go here in Town?"

I closed my eyes tightly against the wave of grief that hit me. Scully had been with my household since she was a child, had been my most trusted soldier for many years. I would miss her brave heart and her keen mind greatly.

"Lord Walter, you are trying my patience. If you will not willingly tell me what I want to know, then I will have to employ other methods to get answers."

I sat up, ignoring the fresh wave of pain that filled me, and glared at him with all the hatred I possessed. "Enough of your threats, Spender! I will never tell you a thing, no matter what you do to me!"

Spender's eyes flashed angrily and he ground out his smoke under his heel. "The session with the whip doesn't seem to have loosened your tongue, but I have ways to make you sing a different song. Guards!"

Rough hands dragged me up from the cot and pain stabbed through me again. I pushed away the pain, pushed away the fear of the upcoming tortures I would face, and filled my mind with thoughts of Fox instead. If I had to die today, it would be with his image in my mind.

 

Fox

We hugged the walls, keeping to the shadows, and slipped inside postern gate which was unguarded, being too small to allow anyone to enter on horseback and only leading into the kitchen gardens. Anyone trying to enter the palace itself would have to go through the main gate, now doubly guarded. Scully located the entrance to the passageway and took a quick look inside, then signaled for us to follow. We didn't dare use a torch for fear of a servant or guard noticing the light so we linked hands – Scully, then me, then the Brothers. Slowly and cautiously, we made our way through the twisting corridors, Scully counting off every cross-passage and turning as we moved deeper inside the castle. Several times, we had to slip back into a shadow as a guard or servant moved nearby, and each time I thought that my heart would stop.

Finally, at last, we emerged in the storerooms near the prison. Scully motioned for us to be silent and stay back, quickly scouting the route to the prison before returning.

"There's one guard sitting at the desk, watching the cells," she murmured. "I don't know how we're going to get past him."

"I do." Brother Byers smiled. "A humble priest, here to offer words of consolation to the condemned."

I looked doubtfully at him. "Are you sure? Enough people have died already."

"Trust me." Byers folded his hands into the sleeves of his robe, lowered his eyes humbly, and moved with measured steps down the corridor leading to the prison. Scully followed him in the shadows, and the rest of us crept along quietly. We heard the murmur of voices, Byers playing his part to the hilt. Grumbling a bit, the guard got up from his post and led the way down the corridor towards the cells. Scully slipped up behind him, thumping him hard with the hilt of her sword, and he hit the floor like a ton of bricks. I hurried forward to take the keys from his belt, then the brothers moved the guard into an empty cell while Scully checked for additional guards.

Swiftly, I moved to each cell and glanced in the grill, growing more desperate as I looked without finding Lord Walter anywhere. "He's not here!" I called to Scully.

"Fox?"

The voice was faint, and I swung about, trying to pinpoint the location. There - the last cell I had checked. I had been certain that there was nothing but now I could see the pile of cloth on the floor was moving. I quickly unlocked the door and entered, kneeling and placing a hand on the figure.

"Master?" There was a hiss and I realized that I had touched a wound of some kind. "We've got to get you out of here."

"Where's Scully?"

"Outside with some friends of mine."

"I want you to listen and obey me, Fox." He drew a deep, painful breath. "Get Scully, and get out of here. Do you hear me?"

The flat tone of voice, the lack of hope, nearly made me cry. "I hear, but I'm not leaving you here."

"Fox, I'm ordering you - "

I couldn't believe that he was just going to give up and anger blazed through me. Damn the man! After all that we had gone through, he wasn't going to do this to us! "And what are you going to do if I don't obey? Beat me? You can't even get up off the floor." I was taunting him now, deliberately. "You'll have to get out of here first."

I heard a faint chuckle, then a sigh, and a glimmer of hope filled me. "Brat. Help me up, then."

I tried to grab onto his arm to help him up but he hissed in pain again. "Master, I don't know where to touch you. Where are you hurt?"

There was a low chuckle. "Everywhere." I heard him take a deep breath and he pushed himself up enough that I could get my shoulder under his arm. He winced again as I threw an arm around his waist to steady him but made no other sound.

Frohike hurried to join us and I gave him the keys so that he could lock the cell and restore the ring. It wouldn't fool anyone for long, but every moment we could delay pursuit might help. There was a slight movement and Scully was with us, breathing a soft question.

"Milord Fox?"

"He's hurt badly - I can't tell where. He won't be able to go far."

I could see Scully's head nod, then she was moving again. Langley moved to Walter's other side and, between the two of us, we half-dragged and half-carried him back down the passageway. Scully paused and then turned in a different direction from the way we had entered, and I wondered what she had in mind. Walter could not go far in this condition, and Langley and I were tiring.

The passage suddenly ended at the river and my heart sank. Scully had obviously gotten lost – there was no way out of here except for a drop into the icy cold river, and I knew that none of us would survive long enough to swim to the opposite shore. We would have to retrace our steps.

To my surprise, Scully stopped in the opening and, cupping her hands to her mouth, made a peculiar sound. Within a few minutes, I heard the sound of oars and water against the side of a hull, and a small barge slid out of the fog towards us.

"Sister? Success?"

"Yes. But he's badly hurt. We must get him to the Shrine."

A line was flung to Scully's waiting hands and she pulled the boat in closer. Two Amazons on the barge slid a narrow board across the gap between ship and opening, then one of them deftly crossed over to our side. I reluctantly relinquished my burden to her, wincing as I heard Walter's painful moan as he was hoisted onto her shoulders for the trip. I don't think I even breathed as I watched her cross the precarious bridge with her burden, but then Walter was being handed down into waiting hands on the other side. I scrambled after them, not wanting to let Walter out of my sight for a moment, and heard the Brothers follow me. Scully pushed the board back across, then jumped the narrow distance.

The moment she was on board, the Sisters at the oars began rowing swiftly, moving away from the palace walls. Even as they did so, I heard the shout from the wall above us and a call to arms. Well, I thought, that explained why Scully didn't suggest taking us in that way – we never would have reached Walter's cell once the alert was given.

Scully nodded at the look on my face. "I couldn't risk it," she said simply. "I only had them waiting for us in case we couldn't get him out the other way."

"But they know he's escaped," I said anxiously. "They'll be looking for him – and they'll probably guess where he's at."

"They would in any case," she pointed out. "We'll have him safely inside the Shrine before they can reach it – and even Spender is not foolish enough to attack the Shrine itself."

I wasn't so sure about that but, having nothing better to offer, I left Scully to her plans and made my way over to where Walter lay. The cloak had been pulled open and I gasped as I saw the discolorations and whip marks marring his upper body. One of the Sisters was kneeling beside him, her eyes closed as her hands hovered inches above his body, while another knelt beside her and jotted down what she was saying.

"Two broken ribs. Dislocated shoulder. Broken collarbone. Bruised kidney. Multiple lacerations across the back and chest. Fractures in the left hand, burns on the right. No damage to the lower extremities – looks like they were saving that for next time."

My eyes filled at the litany of injuries and I bit my lip to hold back the painful howling that filled my soul. A gentle hand touched mine and, startled, I looked up to see the Healer's eyes were opened and focused on me.

"The ribs didn't pierce his lungs and there hasn't been enough time for infection to set in. He is a strong man – he will heal," she said gently. "You got him out before they broke him. It could have been much worse, lad."

"How can you say that?" I demanded, gesturing at the battered body before us. "They hurt him – because of me!"

"And how will your wallowing in guilt help? You wish to make amends? Then put away your useless emotions and assist me."

I drew in a deep, shuddering breath and tried to let go of the guilt. She was right – it wouldn't help Walter now. "What do you need me to do?"

The Healer gave me a broad smile. "There's a good lad," she said warmly. "Between the two of us, your man will be right as rain in no time."

I returned the smile and, for the first time since this nightmare began, I started to believe.

 

 

_**Chapter Six** _

Walter

My head hurt. Hell, everything hurt. But there was softness under me, and softness over me, and a smell of incense in the air, so I knew that my dream of rescue had not been a dream. I tried to move and had to bite back a groan at the pain.

"Lie still," a soft, female voice said. Not Maggie. Not Scully.

"Who - ?"

"My name is Anne. You're safe now. Sleep."

I couldn't - not until I was certain. I forced my eyes open and found that I was in a strange room, dark but cozy. A woman was wringing out a cloth in a bowl and she smiled as she placed it on my forehead. The scent of herbs in the air made me sleepy.

"Where am I?"

"Shh," she said softly. "You'll wake him, and this is the first time he has slept in days."

I didn't really need to know who the 'he' was, but I looked anyway for the pure joy of seeing him again. Fox was curled up in a chair that had been pulled over to the bed, and I drank in a sight that I had never expected to see again in this world. There were shadows under his eyes and he looked thinner than I remembered, but he was there.

"Where am I?" I repeated softly, forcing my eyes back toward the strange woman.

"The Shrine of Artemis. Our sister brought you here for healing. You need have no fears - you are safe here." I nodded, wincing at the pain this sent through me. The Healer picked up a bowl from the table and sat down on the bed. My stomach growled as I caught the aroma of the soup in her hands and she smiled.

"That's a good sign. You need to eat to regain your strength."

The Healer fed me since my hands were bandaged, and I managed to eat half of the bowl before fatigue overwhelmed me again. I was embarrassed by my body's failure but she just gave me a soothing smile as she settled me back down on the bed.

"It's all right. Sleep is what you need most."

My eyes drifted shut without any encouragement, the last image in my eyes the sight of my Fox sleeping peacefully.

 

 

Fox

I hadn't meant to fall asleep, and I cursed myself roundly when I learned that Walter had awakened while I slumbered. But still, my heart was lighter for the knowledge that he had woken – even for a brief time – in full possession of his senses.

The three days between his rescue and his waking were the longest in my life. I had thought that the most painful part was watching Anne, the Healer, tend Walter's many injuries. However, although I will never forget the dreadful sound of his shoulder being popped back into place, that was nothing compared to the anxious hours spent at his bedside, watching as fever and delirium claimed him. When he began to thrash in his sleep, Anne had to drug him to prevent him from worsening his injuries. I sat by the bed for many long hours watching him, hardly recognizing the strong warrior I had come to love in the man that lay in a drugged stupor. I hated seeing him like this but, even more, I hated the idea of leaving him for even a moment, as if he might disappear the minute my back was turned. Scully tried to coax me away, tried to get me to eat, but I refused any attempt to pry me from Walter's side. And, in the end, sheer exhaustion claimed me and so I missed the moment when he first woke up.

However, the next time his eyes opened, I was there, sitting beside his bed, reading over the translation of that scroll. I heard a low moan first and, putting down the parchment, saw his eyes open. He blinked as if trying to focus, and looked around the room before finding me. A smile curved his lips and the dark eyes warmed. "Fox," he murmured. "Am I dreaming, or are you really here?"

"It's not a dream," I said softly, and I knew that I was grinning from ear to ear.

He tried to raise his bandaged hand toward me, wincing in pain, and I moved hastily to the side of the bed. "Don't," I scolded gently. "You've been messed up pretty badly; you need to take it easy."

He scowled at me. "This is pay-back for the time you were ill and I bullied you, isn't it?" I grinned but wisely said nothing, and he sighed and let me help him into a sitting position. I fussed over him, adjusting the pillows and blankets until he finally growled at me to leave it be. I couldn't help it – the sound of his familiar growl was so welcome, and I was so tired and scared about the future that I felt like crying. Instead, I buried my face in the covers and fought back the tears, swearing at myself fiercely. I would not spoil this reunion by weeping like a lost child.

"Fox?"

I could hear the alarm in his voice and managed to drag up a smile before I lifted my head. "It's all right, Master. Just feeling a little – overwhelmed."

"I know the feeling," he said softly. "And you don't appear to be sleeping or eating."

I let myself smile at that. "Yet another reason for you to get well, Master. See what a disobedient slave I am the moment your back is turned?"

He chuckled. "I can see that. You look like hell."

"You should talk," I shot back at him. "You need more sleep."

"Very well," Walter said, raising his unbandaged arm. "Come here and we shall both sleep."

Longing to be cradled once more in those strong arms filled me, even as I shook my head. "Your ribs – your shoulder – "

"This shoulder is fine, and my ribs well-wrapped, although I doubt your slight weight could harm them." I gestured with my hand. "Come, my disobedient one, before I get cross."

I grinned at that and slipped off my shoes, then eased myself onto the bed at his side. Cautiously, I laid my head on his shoulder and felt his arm wrap loosely around my body, his splinted and bandaged hand lying on my hip. It wasn't perfect but we were both alive and – for the moment – safe, so I decided not to quibble with the gods. I sighed contentedly.

Warm lips brushed my forehead and I turned my head up for a brief kiss. "Sleep, my heart," he said softly. "We will worry about the future when it comes."

Contented, I closed my eyes and went to sleep.

 

**Chapter Seven**

**Walter**

Fox was gone when I next awakened, but his scent lingered on the pillow and the place where he had slept was still warm, so I knew that he had been here, that it hadn't been a fever-induced dream like before. The Healer returned to check on my healing injuries, then gave me privacy to attend to my body's needs while she fetched food for me.

I found that I was ravenously hungry and eagerly set into the thick stew and bread the Healer had brought. It was a little awkward to eat as my right hand was stiff from the healing burns and my left still splinted and bandaged, but I managed. Dressing would be even more difficult – I would certainly need help.

"Where's Fox?" I asked between mouthfuls.

"Speaking with the Mother-Abbess," Healer Anne replied. When I gave her a startled look, she smiled and said, "Do not worry, he is not in trouble. They are merely discussing a scroll he was given."

I frowned, unaware of any scroll that Fox had owned. It must have been something one of those friends of his had given to him.

"I'd like to speak with the Mother-Abbess myself, if it is permitted. To thank her for the hospitality we have received."

"I am certain that can be arranged." The Healer took my empty bowl and set it aside just as Fox came hurrying into the room.

"You're awake!" he said with a delighted smile on his face, falling to his knees beside the bed. "How are you feeling, Master?"

"Much better," I said and, unable to resist that smile, lifted my hand to caress his cheek. "In fact, I'm ready to get out of this bed."

Fox gave the healer an anxious and inquiring look and, at her nod, hurried to fetch my clothes. I needed all his help in dressing for I was still weak and my injured hands made me clumsy. Fox moved with quick efficiency, pulling on my tunic and pants, lacing my boots and buckling on my belt, all without making me feel helpless for which I silently blessed him. Then he helped me to my feet and braced my body as I slowly made my way out of the infirmary into the common room.

Scully was at my other side in an instant, helping me to a chair by the fire. "It's good to see you, my lord."

I smiled at her. "Good to see you, too, Captain. My thanks for the rescue."

She shook her head. "I was only a part of the team. It was Milord Fox's plan, his determination to get you out."

Fox had settled on the floor beside me and I reached out again to touch him. "Then I was truly blessed on the day that I saw you."

He shook his head, staring down at the floor. "No, Master. If you had never seen me, none of this would have happened. You would be whole and healthy, Sister Melissa and Sgt. Pendrell would be alive – "

"Fox," I said, quietly but firmly. "You are not to blame for the actions of others, only your own. It was not by your will that you were enslaved, nor that Spender became obsessed with you, nor that Pendrell was killed. Melissa will be missed, but it was her decision to aid you."

"I'm tired of people dying for me," he said lowly.

"I know, but don't make their sacrifice be in vain."

He sighed, then turned back towards me, a determined look on his face. "I know how we can make Spender pay for their deaths. I was given a scroll, and Brother Byers translated it. In it are details of the plans of a group of men to take the rule of the land for themselves – including Spender and the High Priest."

I gave him a sharp look. "Are you certain? May I see this scroll?"

He jumped to his feet and hurried into the chamber I'd just left, returning with the scroll and another piece of parchment. "This is the original," he said, handing me the scroll. "And this is the translation."

I glanced at the original, not recognizing the language it had been written in, then picked up the translation. As I read it, my sense of disbelief grew until, finally, I looked at Fox in exasperation.

"And you actually believe this?" I asked impatiently. "I don't care for either Spender or the High Priest, but to think that they might be involved in something of this magnitude – it's incredible. No, it's unbelievable."

"The scroll was written by one of the priests – " Fox began.

"And how do you know that? Did you speak with this priest?"

Fox hesitated. "Well, no. Another man gave it to me."

"And this man – he was someone you know, someone you trust?"

"Um – actually, that was the first time I had met him," Fox admitted.

Understanding dawned. "This is what you snuck out of the castle for? What you risked dying for?"

Fox sat back, a stubborn expression on his face. "What about the coins? They really are hollow – you can check the ones in your own pouch and see."

I shrugged. "A flaw in the mold, nothing else. It doesn't mean that the money is being siphoned off – not unless you have clerical records to prove it."

Fox's eyes shadowed and he said angrily, "My father worked for the Treasurer's office. He must have found out about this – that's why they killed him!"

"You don't know that for certain." I sighed and rubbed my temples, feeling a headache starting up. "Look, Fox, I know that you want justice for your family, and we both know that Spender's up to no good, but this – " I indicated the document on my lap. "This is way beyond the manipulation of the current crown. This speaks of – "

"A far reaching conspiracy by shadowy figures within the government," Fox said forcefully. "A deliberate and calculated plan to bring down the monarchy, an action that will affect the lives of every man, woman and child in this kingdom."

"Or the delusion of one man - your 'priest'."

Fox snorted and stood up, snatching up the scrolls. "He's not the only one who's deluded!"

"Fox!" I said sharply. "I suggest that you sit down and think about what you're saying."

"Why?" he said, his voice bitter and insolent. "You don't really want me to think – I'm just here to tend you and warm your bed."

"Enough!" I said sharply. "If you can't control yourself, then I suggest you go to your room and remain there till you can."

White-faced, Fox stood still for a moment, a look of betrayal on his face. "Alexi was right after all," he said quietly, then turned and left.

The room was deadly quiet and, too late, I remembered our audience. I looked over at Scully, expecting that she would support my position, but found that she was looking at me reproachfully.

"What?" I asked, irritated.

She seemed to revise what she had been going to say. "Don't you think you were a little hard on him?"

"Scully, you heard him! He was being insolent – "

"He was defending what he believes is the truth," she corrected, then sighed. "Lord Walter, Fox is an intelligent and capable young man, despite his knack for getting into trouble. I always thought you respected that about him, but if you're only willing to accept it when he agrees with you, then perhaps – " She drew a deep breath and continued. "Then perhaps you should send him away before you break his heart further."

"Of course I respect his intelligence!" I growled. "But he's so caught up in his hatred for Spender that he's willing to accept any thing he hears, no matter how unreliable the source."

"We don't know that the source is unreliable," Scully pointed out. "Just unavailable – more than likely dead. Which seems to point to the validity of some of Fox's conclusions."

"You believe this story, Scully?" I asked incredulously.

She drew another deep breath, then tilted her chin up. "Yes. I do."

"Without proof?"

"Sometimes, sir, the only proof we have is faith." She stood up. "And I have faith in Fox."

She left the room, going in the same direction that Fox had, and I sat contemplating her words, and then Fox's. I thought back over what I read with a frown. It was improbable, hell, it was nigh on fantastical, but – as a tutor of mine had once said – there was a difference between improbable and impossible.

"Lord Walter?"

I looked up to see the Healer standing impassively in the doorway. "Yes?"

"The Mother-Abbess will see you now, if you have the time."

Cordially phrased, but I knew an order when I heard one. I rose slowly to my feet, nodding my head. "Of course."

She led me through the corridors of the Pilgrims' wing, the only portion of the Shrine where men were allowed, then gestured for me to enter a doorway. "The Mother-Abbess will be with you shortly."

I entered the room and found myself in a small antechamber, sparsely furnished as was the rest of the Shrine, although a cheerful fire blazed in a brazier in the middle of the room. I warmed myself by it until the sound of a door opening at the other end of the room made me turn politely as the Mother-Abbess entered.

"Please, Walter, be seated," she said graciously. "You are still recovering from your injuries and must conserve your strength."

I inclined my head in thanks and sat down. "I am grateful for the care that you and the members of your House have given me," I said warmly. "You saved my life."

"You are most welcome, but you are in error.  We did not save your life. Young Fox did that – we merely assisted in your recovery."

Guilt pricked me at the mention of Fox's name. It was true – he had risked his life to save mine, and I felt uncomfortably in his debt. Perhaps, I thought, there lay some of the reason why I had been so short with him. I was accustomed to being his protector, not the other way around.

"It appears that we have a dilemma to solve, one that will require both your knowledge of the government and the king, and our armed support," she said and I looked at her inquiringly. "The scroll Fox has."

"You believe that nonsense?" I asked incredulously.

The Mother-Abbess studied my face for a long moment. "Walter, how long has it been since you lived in Town?"

"I was here just two months ago – "

She shook her head. "No, not to visit, but lived here."

"Several years," I admitted. Even before Sharon's death, I had avoided the Court, and I had resisted more than token visits ever since.

"Then you have no idea just how much things have changed."

That caught my attention and I leaned forward, my eyes fixed on her. "Changed in what way?"

"Over the past five years, I've seen more good people displaced and dispossessed than in the previous fifteen since I became Abbess. The number of widows and orphans petitioning at our gates has doubled – unusual when the country is at peace. At the same time, the number of initiates has dropped, as has visitations by women of family."

I frowned at that; maidens had always come to the Shrine with their prayers for love, wives for good fortune and fertility. And for spirited young women, the Amazons offered an alternative to traditional marriage and family, and most families were grateful and proud to see a daughter accepted into the Goddess' service. "I don't understand what that has to do with this scroll."

"For generations, the worshippers at Temple and Shrine have co-existed in peace, but lately the Priests have begun to covertly preach against us, exhorting the men to watch the rule within their own families, to keep their womenfolk from forgetting their place and reaching above themselves." She grimaced. "And we are not the only ones they are speaking against – they also preach about the 'ungodly idle who neither sweat nor till the lands, yet derive the wealth from it'."

I snorted. "I bet that went over big at Court."

She gave me a half-grin. "I think that few there know about it – the King has his own priest who, I am certain, only speaks dulcet words in his presence, and few courtiers can bestir themselves to visit the Temple more than once or twice a year. But do you see what this is doing?"

I nodded slowly. "If the people are told not to trust the nobility and the monarchy, they have no where else to turn except the Priests."

"Exactly. And if the priests tell them to tear down the monarchy – "

I shook my head, frowning. "But Spender and his friends want control of the government, not the priests."

"I believe that the High Priest does as well. For the moment, they are working together to bring about the downfall of the government, but once they accomplish that, they will turn against each other."

I sat back in my chair, rubbing my chin. "Even if this is true, what proof do we have?"

"The scroll."

"Flimsy evidence," I objected. "I wouldn't believe it if it was brought before me, and I doubt that Jeffrey will either."

"Ah, but you are forgetting one thing – how Spender will react when he sees Fox with the scroll in his possession."

"You are expecting Spender to panic and betray himself?" I asked and shook my head. "The man is too cool for that – he has ice water, not blood, in his veins."

"Spring enough surprises at one time and even he may crack."

"I'd feel better if we had more surprises to spring," I said.

The Mother-Abbess nodded. "Agreed. I will have my warriors spread through the city, see what they can learn." She stood, effectively calling our audience to an end. "In the meantime, you need to rest and recover your strength. Shall I have one of my staff accompany you to your room?"

I smiled at her polite way of asking whether I was capable of making it to my room without falling on my face, then my smile faded as I remembered what waited for me in my room. "Fox," I murmured then, seeing the questioning look on the Mother-Abbess' face, I said ruefully, "I believe I have some apologizing to do. I was rather – forceful in my disbelief of Fox's ideas."

She gave me a stern look at that. "Lord Walter, the Goddess has gifted you with a great treasure. Be careful that you do not abuse Her trust in you."

"Yes, Mother-Abbess," I murmured, abashed at the rebuke, no matter that I had earned it. "If I may be excused, the sooner I get this sorted out, the better."

She waved her assent and I bowed my head to her, then hurried out on my way towards my temporary rooms, not looking forward to the upcoming talk with Fox but determined to make my peace with him.

 

 

**Chapter Eight**

**Fox**

I sat on the floor in front of the fireplace, knees drawn up to my chest and my arms wrapped around them, staring into the flames without seeing them. I felt as if I had been torn in two. On the one hand, I was appalled that I had had the effrontery to talk to Lord Walter like that.  I was a slave, and he would be well within his rights to beat me senseless. On the other hand, I was certain that I was right and I was bitterly disappointed that the man wouldn't even listen to me. Scully had followed me, offering reassurance and support. I was grateful that someone believed me, I suppose, but it wasn't enough.

There was a noise in the doorway behind me and I spoke without looking up. "Scully, I'm fine. I don't need you to watch over me."

"It's not Scully," said a gruff voice and I swung around, wide-eyed, to see Lord Walter standing there. For a moment, we looked at each other, and then he closed the door and leaned against it. "Fox – "

I shifted to my knees and bent forward to rest my forehead on the floor. "I am sorry, Master. It was not my place to speak to you like that." I swallowed hard. "I didn’t bring your strap with me. Shall I fetch a whip?"

"No," I heard his voice say with a quiet sigh, then I heard him move slowly across the room to sit on the bed. My heart ached as I heard the gasp he made as he sat down and cursed myself again for forcing his hand when he wasn't fully recovered. "Fox, come here." I lifted my head and started to crawl over to him. "On your feet, please."

The softness of his voice and the 'please' at the end caught my attention. I looked up to see him looking at me with a penitent look on his face and quickly got up, making my way over to him. Before I could sink to the floor next to the bed, he grasped my hand and pulled me to sit on the bed facing him.

"Fox, I owe you an apology." I opened my mouth to protest and he laid a finger on my lips. "Let me finish, please. No matter how – how improbable the situation appeared, I should have allowed you to finish speaking, and I should have listened to you with an open mind. I went into this whole discussion unwilling to listen because – "

"Because I'm a slave," I said softly.

"No," he said firmly. "Because I am in your debt, and that doesn't sit well with me. And not because you are a slave but because I am supposed to be protecting you, not the other way around. Secondly, if I was going to argue the matter with you, I should have had the courtesy to do so in private."

I know that my eyes went round at that. One didn't treat slaves as if they had any pride to be hurt although, looking back on the matter, I was aware that Walter had always treated me with respect, never punishing me in public. A feeling of warmth filled me; it was the way one would treat a lover, a spouse.

"It is I who is indebted to you," I said warmly. "You saved my life the day you bought me, and you have always treated me well, even when I didn't deserve it."

"Then you forgive me?" he asked, lifting his right hand to gently stroke my cheek.

"Nothing to forgive," I began but he shook his head.

"You are too generous, Fox, and you will make me a tyrant if you let me treat you thus without making amends."

I smiled and turned my face into his hand, nuzzling it. "Very well, since you insist, I do forgive you." I pressed a kiss against his poor burned palm, an injury he had suffered trying to protect me. I thought of the last time this hand had touched my body, five long weeks earlier, and longing to have him touch me again filled me. I shifted to my knees on the bed, smiling wickedly at him. "And I know just how you can make amends."

He chuckled at that and said, ruefully, "You may be expecting too much from an old injured warhorse."

I leaned over to kiss him, gently and tenderly. "Let me do all the work," I said softly, and I let my lips trail down to nuzzle his neck.

"I don't think the Sisters would approve," he began but the moan that followed belied his protest.

"Then they don't have to watch."

I carefully eased off his tunic, checking to make sure that his ribs were still wrapped well, and eased him down onto his back. I trailed kisses over his healing flesh above and below the bandages, teasing and distracting him as I unlaced his leggings and pushed them down to the tops of his boots. He tugged at my tunic and I readily disposed of it, carefully leaning down to kiss him while my hand found his stiffening erection and began stroking it slowly. He moaned into the kiss, something that sounded like my name and a plea, and I felt my body tighten even more in response. It had been too long, and neither of us was going to last long, but I didn't want it to happen like this. I wanted him to be inside me, where he belonged.

My soft shoes and pants were quickly disposed of, the passage slicked with the cream the Healer had left for his hand, and then I was easing myself down on his proudly jutting cock. I was tight after long weeks of enforced celibacy and I had to pause several times to catch my breath, but at last my ass was resting on his thighs, his full length buried deep inside me. And it was good, so good, this burning pleasure, and I never wanted it to end.

I leaned over again, kissing him thoroughly as I began to slowly move on his cock. His hands automatically went to my hips to steady me, and my heart ached at the feel of the splinted hand on one side and the puckered skin on the other. But I had no time for regrets because the need in me was building, a need that was too intense to be ignored. I sat up again, moving faster and faster, letting my head drop back and my back arch as I felt my body race towards release. And Walter was right there with me, his moans telling me that he was close as well.

"Fox!" he cried out, his whole body shuddering with release. "Beloved!"

I gasped and then I was coming, so hard and so intense that I was afraid I would pass out and crash down on poor Walter's chest. But somehow I managed to retain enough of my sanity to hold myself together long enough to flop to one side of my master. I lay there for a long time, trying to breathe and regain my wits, but all my thoughts seemed to circle around one thing – Walter had called me 'beloved'.

He chuckled softly and I lifted my head to see what had amused him. "I've still got my boots on, and my leggings are around my ankles."

I grinned and leaned over to kiss him. "Debauched is a very good look for you," I said, then added wickedly, "and you can't run away from me so fast like this."

Walter snorted. "As if I'd be fool enough to do that – although perhaps I should consider keeping you hobbled like this."

"Any time, Master," I said cheekily, and set about freeing him from boots and pants, then pulled the blanket up over him. I would have slipped out of the bed to let him rest but he caught my wrist and tugged me to him, so I readily settled down along his injured side. He was already asleep so he didn't notice when I kissed his shoulder and murmured, "I love you, too, Master."

 

 

**Walter**

The next few days passed uneventfully as I continued to recover from my injuries under Fox's watchful care. Word from the outside was grim – in the wake of my escape, the Town had been searched from top to bottom and more had been arrested and charged with Treason as well. Our little group of conspirators grew as the Brothers abandoned their shop and took sanctuary just hours before the soldiers placed a guard around the Shrine.

The Sisters didn't seem perturbed by the siege, assuring me that they were stocked with foodstuffs and had their own well. And it was certain that no king in his right mind would attack a Shrine; only one had done so in known history and, although he had succeeded in his attack and destroyed the Sisterhood in his kingdom, it had started a Blood war. Within six months, his kingdom had been leveled by the combined Sisterhoods from other kingdoms, his pleas for assistance from other rulers falling on deaf ears – no one else wanted to risk the Amazon wrath.

Still, it worried me enough that I had Scully send a message to Beauforte, ordering Lamana to assemble as many of my soldiers as he could and bring them here quickly. Even now, they were encamped outside the gates of the city, not in siege but waiting for my orders. So we were rather comfortably settled before the fire one morning, discussing and discarding plans, when the Mother-Abbess entered, a grim look on her face.

"What is wrong?" I asked.

"Whatever we are going to do, we need to do it now," she replied. "Word from the palace is that there is to be a Full Court called this afternoon."

"For what reason?"

"To discuss the Succession. A majority of Lords of the Court has declared that the Crown Prince is unfit to rule the kingdom in the event of the king's death."

I frowned at that. "He's just a boy – what reason could they possibly give?"

The Mother-Abbess drew a deep breath and, looking at Fox, said, "Spender and his cohorts claim that last winter the boy was ensorcelled by a demon. They say that his health and his mind have weakened, that he talks to spirits and knows things that he shouldn't. Spender wants him put aside and a new heir declared – there is a son of his late majesty's sister who stands next nearest."

I snorted. "Stands is a dubious term. Felix hasn't been sober in years."

"The High Priest, on the other hand, wants the Prince turned over to them. He believes that they can cure him of this affliction and, in the meantime, will stand as Regent in his stead, should something happen to the king."

I felt a prickling over my skin and looked over at Fox. "By the gods, you were right. Either way, Jeffrey will soon be dead and Gibson not long after him."

"There is already death in that household," the Mother-Abbess said.

"My sister-in-law?"

She nodded. "She took to her bed two days ago with a sickness that none has seen before, writhing and screaming in agony before succumbing to a coma, as has one of her maids tending her. She died this morning. The Temple Healer called in to treat her has declared that her body, the maid's, and all her possessions must be burned to prevent it from spreading, however my informant thinks that there is no sickness, that she was poisoned and this is but to cover it up."

I covered my eyes with my hand; there had been no love lost between me and Diana, but still it sickened me to think of her meeting such a horrible ending. Then I drew a deep breath and stood up.

"It is starting, and if we do not move quickly, it will be too late."

Scully nodded. "What do you want to do, my lord?"

"Send a message to Lamana and have him assemble my men to meet us at the palace gates in two hours."

She nodded and hurried off to compose a message and send it by the secured carrier they had established, and I turned to the Mother-Abbess. "We will need to join our forces."

"All my warriors are at your command, Lord Walter," she said formally, but I shook my head.

"I would rather they were under your command. You know how best to utilize them." I held out my right arm. "We march as allies."

She grasped my arm in a warrior's salute. "And may the gods give us justice."

She went off to assemble her own troops and I turned to Fox. "I will need my armor."

He nodded, leading the way to our bedchamber. "Jerry sent it here two days ago, and I have readied it." He was quiet as he helped me dress and arm myself, and I could see the fear lurking in his eyes.

I caressed his cheek and said, quietly, "I want you to stay here."

He shook his head, his face set in the stubborn look I knew so well. "No. You need me – need what I know about their plans."

"It'll be safer – "

"Master, if we fail, no place will be safe," he said calmly. "I'd rather die at your side than live as a slave without you."

I sighed. "You are stubborn, Fox, but you are right." I kissed him, knowing that it might be for the last time, and picked up my cloak. "Let's go."

The Mother-Abbess was waiting in the assembly room, along with an entire company of her warriors. I saw at a glance that each of them wore the red plume on their helmets and a red armband, and I gave the Mother a sharp, respectful look. The Amazons were indicating that they were pursuing a Blood Debt, avenging the murder of their Sister, something that should frighten anyone facing them today for when fighting for Blood, no quarter was given. It would more than make up for the fact that, even with the addition of Scully and my troops, we would be outmatched in numbers if my brother called in all his men.

I was surprised to see one of Fox's friends, Brother Byers, among them and Fox must have noticed my surprise. "They may not believe us about the scroll, but Byers was a priest in the Temple before he joined the Brothers, and he knows who wrote it. The rest of the Brotherhood will be watching the Temple and the Palace in case one of the traitors tries to escape."

I nodded. "Very well, then. Let's go."

Stepping outside the Shrine, we saw the soldiers stationed out there fall back at the sight of the Amazons in their battle gear. We let them flee, knowing that they would alert the palace guard but also counting on them to start a panic among the guards. Ranks were quickly formed with the two unarmed men in the middle under Scully's protection while I took my place beside the Mother-Abbess at the head. Then the order was given and we began the march on the Palace.

 

 

**Chapter Nine**

**Walter**

The streets emptied before us, people scurrying into doorways or down side streets to get out of our way, but we met no challenge until we reached the gates. There, sitting on his horse before the gates, was my old friend and comrade Reggie, along with his company of house guards. Lamana was there as well, warily watching Sir Reggie. I gestured for the company to stop, mounted the destrier that Lamana had brought for me, and rode a step forward to meet Reggie.

"Hello, Walter," Reggie said genially, looking over the assembled men and Amazons behind me. "Fine day for fighting, isn't it?"

"Reggie," I said quietly. "I don't want to fight you."

He chuckled. "Oh, I'm not here to fight you, Walter. I'm here to join you."

I blinked at him. "Reggie, if we lose today, you will lose everything – your lands, your life."

Reggie shrugged. "Walter, anyone with eyes can see that the kingdom is going to hell between Spender and the High Priest. Besides, your friendship has been the only thing of value to me since my wife passed. If I die, then I die." Then he grinned. "But it'll be a hell of a way to go!"

I smiled back at him and turned back to the company, signaling for them to move out. Reggie wheeled his horse and took his place on my other side, his company merging with my own.

The palace guard was assembled on the other side of the gate and, although the man at their head – one I recognized as Spender's captain - looked resolute, I could see the disquiet among the men facing us. With a little judicious management, at least part of their forces could be routed.

I rode a few paces forward, raising my voice to be heard. "Most of you men know me – many of you have served with me, as have your fathers and brothers. You know that I do not seek glory for myself." Silence had fallen across the courtyard. "No matter what you have been told, I am not the enemy. Your true enemy – the enemy of our entire kingdom - is Earl Spender, and even as I speak, the lives of your King and Prince are in jeopardy! I ask you now to throw down your swords and step aside or, if you will, to join me in going to their aid."

There was murmuring among the troops facing us and I saw many a sword lowered. Their captain said, sharply, "Don't listen to him, men! The Earl says that he's been ensorcelled, like the Prince."

"The Earl lies!" the Mother-Abbess said, stepping forward so that all could see her. "He has caused the blood of our Sister to be spilled on the steps of the Shrine itself, and the Goddess will see that he pays with his own blood, as will the assassin. If you come between the Sisterhood and our Prey, your life will also be forfeit!"

Faces paled before us and even the captain seemed to hesitate before hardening his face and giving the order to attack. My combined forces moved to meet them, an honor guard headed by Scully remaining back to guard Fox and Brother Byers, and the sound of swords clashing rang through the courtyard. I was heartened to see that many of the palace guards had heeded my words, tossing aside their swords and surrendering. The rest fought as best they could but were no match for the vengeful Sisters and my better-trained troops, and we steadily made our way to the palace itself.

"Lamana, hold the grounds!" I ordered, "Scully, you're with me." A glance exchanged with both Reggie and the Mother-Abbess confirmed that they were coming with me as well. Scully's elite team safeguarded Fox and Byers through the fighting, and I noticed that several Amazons and part of Reggie's troop was with us as well. A final look over the rest of the courtyard assured me that Lamana and Reggie's lieutenant would be able to defend our back.

We strode rapidly through the halls towards the Throne Room, watching as servants and courtiers fled before us, encountering little resistance till we reached the doors to the room. Spender had obviously counted on his men being able to hold us off, and I smiled grimly as I thought of the first surprise that he would be getting.

The Captain of the King's Guard stood between us and the Throne room, and I saw his eyes widen as he saw us sweeping down on him. He was well known to me, having been one of the men I had trained in the field, one of the best.

"Out of the way, man – the King is in peril!" I barked as we approached and, out of habit, he obeyed me, lowering his sword.

"My lord?" he asked doubtfully, torn between loyalties. On impulse, I reversed my sword and held the hilt out to him.

"My word of honor," I said, meeting his eyes. "Earl Spender is the threat to the king, not I, and I've come to free him and the Prince."

A wide smile lit his face and he said, fervently, "Thank the Gods! Take back your sword, Lord Walter – I think you'll have need of it." He gestured to his men on either side of the doors. "Open them and stand guard outside. Let no one leave here without my word."

The doors swung open before us and we marched into the Throne room. The tableau before us froze in place, Spender and the High Priest facing each other from separate sides of the dais, with my brother and nephew between them. All heads had turned to see what was causing the disturbance, and I couldn't help grinning at the stunned look that crossed Spender's face

 

 

**Fox**

Jeffrey stared at Walter across the expanse that separated us, his eyes wide. "Walter? Have you come in truth now to kill me?"

"I have come to save you – brother," Lord Walter said, and I could hear a trace of bitterness in his voice. "Even though you failed to save me."

His face flushed at that and I could see his hands tighten on the prince's shoulder. I looked at Gibson and was appalled at the change in the boy. Gone was the endearingly shy boy with the sweet smile I remembered from last winter. In his place was a thin and pale child, fear and terror etched on his face. He looked like a penitent instead of a prince, his body clothed in a rough white gown and his hair shorn close to his head.

"Gibson," I said hoarsely. "Are you all right?"

His thin face lit up at the sight of me, warming my heart. "Fox?" he breathed. "Is it really you?"

"There!" shouted the High Priest. "What more proof do you need? The child knows the Demon that enslaved him, calls his name."

"Of course he calls Fox's name," Walter said contemptuously. "Fox was probably the last one to show Gibson any kindness."

"Walter, what are you doing here?" the King asked, and his voice seemed weary. His face looked drawn and tired, and I remembered how Alexi had said that it would destroy the king to see his brother accused of treason. It appeared that the other slave had been right. That, compiled and compounded with the threat to his son and lineage, and the death of his Queen must be nearly breaking the man. My eyes drifted past him briefly to take in the sight of the other throne draped in black, and I felt a twinge of sorrow for him.

"If you will not defend your son and kingdom, then I will," Walter said, his voice still angry. "I have brought proof of a conspiracy against the Throne, reaching all the way back to our father's time. Proof that he was murdered at the hands of Spender's associates. Proof that the High Priest has been funding a secret army to depose you."

Spender gave a short, ugly laugh. "You don't frighten us, Lord Walter. Where is this proof you speak of? I don't think it exists."

"It exists," I said, stepping forward with the scroll in my hand. "One of the priests involved in your conspiracy made a record of everything, in case something happened to him. Does the name Iugulus Internus mean anything to you?"

I watched with satisfaction as both Spender and the High Priest paled. "I thought that it would. You were afraid that he had talked to my father but you couldn't be sure, so you had to kill both of them. You killed Iugulus, but you didn't know that he had left a record, did you? And he left instructions that it was to be delivered to me in case of his death or disappearance."

"Let me see that," the King said imperiously and, after a look at Walter, I walked forward to hand him the scroll. Once the King released Gibson, the boy hurtled forward and wrapped his arms around me, burying his face in my tunic.

"Fox," he whispered. "I'm so scared." He was shaking so badly that I thought he might collapse any moment.

"It's all right," I said softly, sitting down right there on the steps of the dais and pulling Gibson into my lap. "You don't need to be scared anymore. We're here, and your uncle won't let anything happen to you."

His arms tightened around me. "You won't leave me, will you?" he begged, and I reassured him, crooning some sort of nonsense to him that seemed to sink in past the fear. He sighed deeply, as if he had been shallow breathing for days, and snuggled in closer to me. Over my head, the four men were arguing but I had lost the thread of the argument and besides, I had my hands full at the moment. Walter would take care of the rest.

 

 

Chapter Ten  


**Walter**

I could have wished that Fox had picked a more out of the way place to settle with Gibson, but he seemed fully occupied with reassuring the boy, and I had other matters to attend to. Jeffrey was reading the scroll with a frown, picking out a phrase here and there from his early schooling in the Temple before he looked up impatiently.

"I can't make heads or tails of this," he said.

"Allow me to translate, Majesty," the High Priest said, stepping forward.

"No," Jeffrey said. "I don't trust you." He glanced downward at his son, resting in Fox's lap, then looked around the room, his eyes falling on Brother Byers. "You – you don’t look like a priest."

Byers bowed. "No, Majesty. I am a Brother of the Order of the Single Arrow."

Jeffrey blinked at that. "Oh. Well, you read Welsh, don't you? Come here and read this to me."

Byers bowed again and stepped forward, taking the scroll and starting to translate aloud. As the words began confirming what I had said, Jeffrey's head snapped up and he glared at the High Priest. "So – you've been siphoning off money from the Treasury to fund your personal army? And you dared to say that my son was unfit to be king, to treat him like this! Captain!"

The Captain of the Guards stepped forward from his place beside Scully. "Yes, Majesty?"

"Arrest this man!" The High Priest began protesting, but Jeffrey cut him off sharply. "Don't worry – I'm sure you'll have plenty of company in your cell before your execution. The entire Temple will no doubt have to be purged." His eyes turned to the Mother-Abbess. "I have no knowledge of religious matters – would you and the Sisters take on this task? Examine the Temple documents, question the priests, see what can be salvaged. The people need to have faith in their priests restored."

"Of course, Majesty," the Mother-Abbess said, bowing her head to him.

"And as for you," Jeffrey said, turning his head towards Spender. "I have no doubt that the rest of that document will prove very enlightening." His mouth turned down bitterly. "I trusted you, put you at my right hand, and this is how you repaid me?"

Spender had managed to recover his equilibrium and even had the effrontery to light one of those damned tobacco sticks of his. "I think that you will find no mention of me in that document."

"But you'll find plenty of others in his rooms and on his estate," said a new voice from the window and we swung around to see the slave, Alexi, standing in the opening. He jumped down lightly on the floor, sending an insolent look towards his former master as he said softly, "You should have killed me instead of giving me away."

Spender's mouth tightened. "A mistake I shall remedy at the first opportunity."

Alexi laughed shortly, then turned back to the King. "In his rooms here in the palace, there is a hidden drawer in the bottom of the cupboard in the bedroom. There you will find records of those in his employ – either purchased or blackmailed – as well as those he's had killed. As well as the disposition of his enemies and their families."

I saw Fox's head jerk up at that and he glared at Spender. "Where's my sister, you bastard?" he demanded.

"Later, Fox," I said sharply.

Alexi continued. "I expect that you'll even find the details of the poison he gave the Queen."

There was an audible gasp from the Court at that and Jeffrey's eyes hardened as he glared at Spender. "A mistake that you will pay for with your life."

Spender smiled coldly and dropped his tobacco stick on the floor. "You first."

He moved quickly, before anyone could stop him, and I watched in horror as he plunged a knife into my brother's chest. Jeffrey gasped and fell backward, Alexi diving to catch him before he hit the floor. I knocked Spender to the ground, pinning him in place with the point of the sword at his throat as I kicked the knife away.

"Guards!" I shouted, and two men hurried forward to haul Spender to his feet and bind his hands together behind his back. "Take him below."

I turned back to the two pairs on the dais. Alexi was holding my brother across his lap as he pressed a cloth against the wound, while Fox was shielding the still-dazed prince from the sight. I met my slave's eyes and said quietly, "I think it would be better if he was taken out of here."

"I'll take him to his room and get him settled. If I can have Scully's help – "

I nodded. "I'll meet you back in my rooms here in the palace when I'm free – don't go back to the Shrine." Fox nodded and Scully helped Fox rise with his precious burden, then I turned my attention back to my brother, dropping to my knee beside him.

"How is he?" I asked Alexi.

"He can hear you and answer for himself," Jeffrey said crossly.

I nearly chuckled at that and raised the cloth briefly to take a look. The wound was deep but not wide, fortunately on his right side or it would have punctured his heart. Barring infection, he would heal.

I looked up and met Alexi's eyes, seeing the deep grief in them, and was startled. I hadn't known that Alexi and Jeffrey had gotten involved, but the depth of this grief seemed to be extreme. "What?" I asked. Silently, he mouthed the word "poison" and my heart fell into my boots. "No."

"Walter?" Jeffrey said weakly.

I looked down at him and managed a smile. "Rest, Jeffrey. The Healers will take care of you." And where were the blasted healers, anyways?

"I'll kill him," Alexi muttered, tears running unheeded down his cheeks and dropping onto Jeffrey's chest. "I swear it." He started to get up, murder in his eyes.

"No," Jeffrey said, catching hold of Alexi's tunic. "Live – and be free, Alexi. And remember me kindly."

Alexi's eyes widened as the word of his King set him free and he nodded silently. The Healers arrived with a litter and Jeffrey was quickly borne towards his chambers. I followed, pausing briefly to confer with Reggie and get him to fetch the papers Alexi had spoken of before one of the conspirators disappeared with them. But before I left the room, I looked back towards the dais where Alexi still knelt, his hands stained with Jeffrey's blood. He looked up and met my eyes, his own carefully blank, but I wasn't fooled. I saw the hardness at the back of those eyes and didn't give much for Spender's chances of surviving to face trial. And, at this moment, I couldn't think a more just punishment for that evil man.

 

 

**Fox**

Gibson's rooms were cold and empty as we entered them, and Scully set off to find the servants and order a bath while I sat the boy down on the bed and built a fire in the fireplace. Once a cheery blaze burned there, I coaxed Gibson to join me sitting before it, and he settled down so close to me that I thought he was going to be in my lap again.

I wrapped my arm around him, stroking his poor shorn head, and said, "Are you all right?"

"I suppose so," he said in a faint voice. "They're – they're not coming back for me, are they?"

"No," I said reassuringly. "They'd have to get through me, and your uncle, and Captain Scully first. And Scully scares me half to death, so they haven't got a chance."

He made a sound that might have been a laugh. "Good."

"Can you tell me what happened?" I asked softly.

He shrugged. "They said that a Demon had put a spell on me, and that they had to do this to cure me." He looked up at me sideways. "Are you really a demon, Fox?"

I laughed at that and ruffled his head. "No. I promise you that I'm just a normal person, just like you."

"Oh." He sounded disappointed and I laughed again.

"Sorry to disappoint," I said teasingly.

He shrugged. "'S-okay. I like you anyways."

I laughed even louder at that. "I like you, too."

Gibson sat up, looking solemn. "We understand each other better than anyone, like kindred spirits." His eyes looked wistful, as if he was afraid of pressing too much, and my heart ached. How could a seven-year-old boy come to be so filled with doubts of his own self-worth. Then I snorted – I knew exactly how that could happen. Kindred spirits, indeed.

"Of course we are," I said firmly.

He settled back against me with a dreamy sigh. "I'm glad you're with Uncle Walter. I wish I could be with you, too."

"Your father would miss you."

He shrugged, another wistful look on his face. "I love my father, but he's so busy – he never has time for me. And he's always so sad…"

I hugged him tightly. "I promise you that I'll talk to your uncle about spending more time with you. Remember how you said you used to visit him in the spring? Well, it's almost spring now, and I'm sure that your father will need time to recover from his injury, so I'll see if you can come with us when we leave."

"Really?" Gibson said, in the voice of a child who is accustomed to hearing promises that were never kept.

"Really." That seemed to reassure him and he settled quietly against me.

The bath arrived and between me and Scully and the servants, we got Gibson washed and dressed in a bed gown, then tucked into a warmed bed. I conferred with Scully briefly, then leaned over to brush a kiss over Gibson's forehead.

"I've got to go check on your uncle now, see how your father is doing, but Captain Scully's going to sit right here by the fireplace and make sure you're safe, all right?" He nodded sleepily and I smiled. "Good boy."

The hallways were oddly silent as I moved through them back towards the older part of the castle. I saw small clumps of people talking in hushed voices as I passed but the avidly curious looks they gave me didn't make me want to linger. Finally, just before I reached the staircase to our rooms, I ran into Sir Reginald.

"Fox," he said, pausing for a moment. "The prince is settled?"

I nodded. "Scully is guarding him. The king?"

His face grew solemn. "Not expected to live, I'm afraid. Walter's with him now."

I felt numb. "He'll need me – "

"Later, lad," Reggie said in a kind but gruff tone. "Best wait in his rooms."

I nodded again and turned towards the stairs. "Lamana and our men? Are they okay?"

"We had some casualties, and your Lamana was slightly wounded, but he'll be fine." He hurried off and I slowly climbed the stairs, feeling weary in mind and body.

"Lord Fox?" a voice asked hesitantly behind me and I turned.

"Just Fox," I said tiredly, looking at the clerk who was staring at me with rabid curiosity. In another time and place, this would have been me. I was amazed to find that the thought of what I had lost no longer hurt so badly.

"Not anymore," he said cheekily, then thrust some scrolls at me before scurrying away. I looked down at the parchments, bewildered, and thought that they must have something to do with Lord Walter. I would deal with this later.

I entered Lord Walter's chambers and found them dark and empty, although a fire had been laid out in the grate. I lit it and coaxed it into a warm blaze and debated about lighting some candles but I was too tired to do any more. I collapsed into Walter's chair gratefully and glanced over at the scrolls I had set on the table. Sighing, I decided I should see what they said so that my master would be prepared for whatever disaster had now befallen us. I picked up the first one, noticing as I did that it was written in a flowing handwriting, but not a clerk's normal style. Dropping my eyes down to the signature, I felt stunned. It was from the King.

_Fox, I know that it is too late to make full restitution to you and your family for the pain that you have suffered, but I hope that I can make some amends. First, the pardon of your father and the restoration of your freedom. Second, a financial recompense for all that you have suffered. And third – that which I think you will value most – the location of your younger sister. Spender's papers state that she was taken to the Isle of Maidens, where she has lived in their care for the past nine months. I only hope that you can forgive me for having been a blind pawn in their games – believe that I am paying dearly now for my folly. Jeffrey, Rex._

I stared at the letter, then at the documents that came with it, stunned. Free. I was free. And Samantha was safe and well. I stood and headed towards the door, calculating in my mind how long it would take me to ride to the Isle to get her. A day at most, and then another day to bring her home –

Home.

I stopped on the threshold of the door, realizing that home no longer meant the townhouse that I had grown up in. Home meant Beauforte, and Walter.

I returned to the chair, feeling my legs tremble. Not any longer, I thought numbly. I knew that Walter loved me, that he enjoyed my company and my body, but that was when I had been a slave. Now that I was a freeman again, I had no place in his bed – men in his position took slaves or consorts from their same station in life to their beds, not a common Clerk from a middle-class family. I should leave, I thought numbly, and save myself the further humiliation of being kindly but firmly sent away. He would tell me that it was for the best, arrange for me to go back to University, ensure that there was some sort of position for me when I graduated, something that kept me far away from him.

And my heart began to break.

 

 

 

Chapter Eleven  


**Walter**

I paced in the hallway outside my brother's chamber for what seemed like hours, briefly conferring with Reggie when he brought Spender's documents, but alone for the most part. Clerks and pages ran in and out of the chamber till I wondered how Jeffrey could possibly be healing in that bedlam. And he would heal – Alexi must have been wrong – I'd had far worse injuries in the field –

And through it all I paced and worried and wished that Fox was here with me to keep me company while I did so.

I looked up when the Healer called my name, hurrying to the door. At my inquiring look, he shook his head gravely. "I'm sorry, my lord. His lung was punctured and the weapon was indeed poisoned. He has a few hours at most."

I swallowed hard. "Does he know?"

"Yes. He wants to see you." He opened the door and gestured for me to enter.

Jeffrey was in bed, propped up slightly with pillows, his breath sounding harsh. He held out his hand and I moved to take it, sitting on the side of the bed.

"Are you in pain, Jeffie?"

He smiled at the nursery-name and shook his head, speaking slowly between breaths. "I seem to be…numb all over. The Healer says…there will be little pain…for which I am…grateful."

"Lord Spender is dead. One of the guards says he was pushed down a flight of stairs on his way to the prison, and his former slave appears to be missing."

A faint smile curved Jeffrey's face. "Alexi.." he murmured, then sighed. He fixed his eyes on me, his face dark and sad. "I shouldn't have…trusted Spender."

He gestured weakly towards the clerks busily working at a table nearby, penning the dying king's last orders. "I've named you…Lord Protector…of the kingdom. You'll …keep the throne safe…for my son…like you did for me…won't you…Walter?" His tone was pleading, uncertain.

I bent my head and kissed his hand. "I swear on my sacred honor. I will protect Gibson and the kingdom with my life if necessary, Jeff."

He drew in a breath, and I sensed that he had matters to get off his conscience before he could die in peace. "Fox…I have…exonerated his father…restored his name. He is a…free man again."

I felt numb. Free. Fox was free, and he would leave me. I dropped my head to the bed. "Jeff -"

"And I found…his sister."

I looked up at that. "Samantha? You know where she is?"

"Spender had her sent…to the Sacred Isle…safe there…but if she decides…not to take…the Veil…I want you…to make sure…there is a …dowry." His breathing was getting worse and I ached for every painful breath he drew.

I nodded. "I swear."

"Good." His eyes drifted shut, and I was suddenly terrified at the thought of losing him.

"Jeff!"

His eyes fluttered open and I could see the weariness in his eyes and the shadow of death on his face. "Walter…let me…go."

"I can't, Jeffie. I love you."

"Better…this way. I'm not…loyal like you. I would…betray you again…out of jealousy…" He reached up to stroke my cheek, tears bright in his eyes, but there was a half-smile on his face, a trace of the mischievous boy that I had loved. "Gave away…Beauforte…"

"What?"

"Dowry…for the best…you'll see," he whispered. His hand tightened in the front of my tunic as he pulled himself close to me, and I saw a spasm of pain cross his face. Hoarsely, he said, "Take care of…my son. Teach him…to be…good man…Swear."

"I swear."

He eased back onto the bed although he didn't release my tunic, and his breathing seemed to be harsher. "Fox…good man…" he said, his mind seeming to drift with random thoughts. "Take care…" he murmured, his eyes drifting shut. "Love…"

"I will, Jeff. I swear." His hand relaxed, sliding back toward the bed. "Jeff? Jeffie?" There was no answer and I knew that he was gone. And I put my head down on the bed beside his hand and cried for the little brother that I had loved.

* * *

My chamber was in total darkness except for a fire burning on the grate when I entered, and there was a feeling of emptiness about it that told me that I was alone. As I would be from now on. Fox was free and he was gone, probably on his way to the Isle of Maidens to bring his sister home. And then he would go back to the University to take up the threads of a life that had been interrupted by Spender's scheming. The next time I would see him would be in a year or two from now, once he became a Clerk. We would run into each other somewhere in the Court; he would flush and avoid my eyes and I would say something cold and stupid, and we would be careful to avoid each other after that…

My heart ached and my throat seemed to have closed. No. I couldn't bear that. I would find some appointment away from Court for him, make sure it was waiting for him when he graduated so that we would never have to meet again. And I was suddenly glad that Jeffrey had bestowed Beauforte on someone else. I didn't think I could bear to walk through those rooms again, hear the echo of his laughter, feel his ghostly presence in my bed. It was going to be hard enough to do that here, where we had very few memories.

I just wished that I had told him - just once - that I loved him.

There was a sudden movement by the fire and I swung around, startled, my hand on my scabbard.

"Who's there?"

"It's just me." A slender, ghostly figure unfolded itself from the chair in front of the fire. "I was waiting for you to get back before I - " There was a choked sound. "Is he - ?"

"Yes. He died in my arms an hour ago."

"I'm sorry. I know you loved him." The voice was sincere, and I marveled at the generosity of the man who could forgive someone who had been Spender's willing pawn in his destruction. "And, in the end, he tried to do the right thing."

"Yes." Silence stretched between us. "He set you free."

"Yes. His Clerk brought me the document for that." I heard the rustle of parchment in his hands. "As well as the gift to compensate me for what I have suffered." There was a soft snort at that, the sound of the papers landing on the table, a glimpse of a tight face in the firelight. "I don't want it."

"Fox - you deserve it - "

"I don't want it!" His voice was low with barely contained passion, and then he was moving. He's leaving me, I thought numbly, and my hand involuntarily reached out to try to stop him before he could get to the door.

"Fox - "

But he wasn't heading for the door. He flung himself at my feet, arms going around my knees and his face pressed against my thighs. "Please - let me stay with you. If you don't want me in your bed anymore, just let me stay near you. I'll do anything you want - scrub floors, tend the horses, I don't care. Just let me stay."

My throat was burning, my hands ached to touch him, and I could barely croak the words, "Fox, you're free - you have your life back - "

"I don't want to be free! I want you!" He was up again, moving away. Before I could move, he had snatched the parchments, looked at them, and threw one on the fire. "There - I've destroyed it."

Wearily, I said, "It doesn't matter. The decree has been registered in the books. Besides, now that I'm the Lord Protector, I can issue the same order."

There was a sobbing breath. "So that's why - " He crossed the room to fling the other parchment at me. "Take it back! I don't want your property - I don't need to be compensated for 'damages'," he said sarcastically. "I may have been a slave, but what I gave to you was of my own free will and given gladly. I won't be paid like a high-priced whore!" He turned away to clutch at the high-backed chair as if seeking support.

My mind seemed to have gone blank, and I stared down at the paper he had tossed at my head. It was a decree awarding Beauforte, plus the lands between Beauforte and the Mulder River – some of the lands that had belonged to Spender - to Fox and his heirs in perpetuity. Suddenly, the words my brother had whispered about a dowry made sense. With this bestowal, the newly made Earl of Mulder would be a much-sought-after companion and mate.

I felt a sudden surge of jealousy; Fox belonged to me, and I would fight anyone who tried to take him away. But now I had to convince Fox of that.

"I had nothing to do with this, but I think you should take it, as well as your freedom. After all, the Lord Protector can hardly marry a penniless slave-boy."

I waited for my words to sink in. After a moment, I saw his head come up slowly, saw him turn back toward me. His eyes met mine and I knew that I was looking at him as if I was a drowning man and he my only salvation. His eyes widened.

"M-master?"

"Call me Walter, my heart."

And then he was in my arms, clinging tightly as if afraid that we would be torn apart again, and he was sobbing my name over and over. I held him tight against me, kissing his hair and every inch of his face, murmuring endearments. He shifted, his mouth seeking mine, and the passion between us burst into flame.

Somehow our clothes came off and we were on the bed, and his body was searing mine everywhere that we touched. There was nothing gentle in our coming together, only need and desire, and he was as fierce as I in the coupling. I didn't care; he could have bruised my entire body if he wished, for I was deep inside him where I had thought never to be again. And he was moving under me, meeting each thrust with equal force, his eyes dark with his desire and my name a constant litany on his lips. I felt the spark starting within me, heard him cry out his own impending climax, and then we were coming together and falling into the light together, one heart and one soul.

 

**Fox**

I regained my senses first, finding it hard to breathe under the weight of his body on mine, but I didn't mind in the least for I had never thought to feel that weight again in this life. I held his body tight against mine and smiled up into the darkness. At last he stirred, shifting slightly as he came back to awareness, rolling onto his side and pulling me with him. I looked into his face and felt tears come to my eyes, but they were happy tears. I had never seen so soft an expression on his face before, such tenderness.

I cleared my throat. "So you're going to marry me and make an honest man of me," I said, trying to lighten the moment.

A large hand that I knew could be surprisingly tender stroked my cheek. "You keep me honest," he said softly, "and you make me whole. You brought joy into my life, and I can't live without you. I don't even want to try."

"Walter - "

"I love you, Fox. I've loved you since the moment I saw you in the market. You looked at me, and our eyes met, and it was - "

"Magic," I finished softly. "I knew that I belonged to you from that instant." He drew me closer, kissing me sweetly. "What happens now?"

"I'll talk to the Mother-Abbess tomorrow about marrying us since I expect that the Priesthood will be in a shambles for quite awhile. Then we'll go home."

"What about Gibson?"

His face darkened. "I had forgotten." He looked at me soberly. "I can't turn aside from this responsibility, beloved. I swore on my sacred honor."

"Then we'll just have to bring Gibson home with us," I said practically. I saw the startled look on Walter's face. "Well, is there any reason why we shouldn't? I mean, this is the seat of government but I doubt that a seven-year-old boy will have much to say in matters of State. It would be much better for him to grow up away from the Court and its intrigues. And I could tutor him in his studies."

I could see that he was comparing his childhood with that of his half-brother, and I saw him nod. "True, he is not needed at Court on a daily basis. Lord Reginald and the Council are trustees for the government until he attains his majority; I am entrusted with protecting the prince's person and the kingdom." He smiled at me. "It is an excellent idea, my love."

I grinned at him. "Don't look so surprised. I occasionally have ideas that harm no one."

"Occasionally," Walter agreed, a teasing gleam in his eyes. "Or so I've heard."

"Asshole," I said lovingly.

"That sounds suspiciously like disrespect."

I looked at him impudently. "Now that I'm a free man, and will be your consort and your land-lord, I think we need to negotiate those rules."

"Of course. But one rule will always remain the same - you do something stupid and your ass will answer for it."

I sighed. "Maybe I need to rethink this whole marriage thing. I mean, I could find myself some cute young thing and be the dominant one - "

He pulled me into another kiss, long and passionate, until I was in danger of fainting from lack of air. "You were saying?"

" - on the other hand, there are significant compensations in this arrangement."

"I thought you'd feel that way."

 

 

 

**Epilog – Walter**

 

"All right, John Richmond Walter Gibson Prys, I'm waiting for an explanation."

The voice caught my attention as I crossed the Great Hall, and I walked over to an open window. It was a little over a year since my half-brother's death, a beautiful spring day, and the air was fresh with the scent of flowers and rain-washed grass. The kingdom was once more at peace, Reggie and the Council having uncovered all the conspirators in the plot to take the throne. The Brothers of the Single Arrow had joined in with the Sisterhood in rooting out the evil within the Temple, and a new High Priest with less worldly ambitions had been elected. From the meticulous records Spender kept, all those that had been wronged had been restored to their rightful places and compensated from the former High Priest's treasury, although those who had suffered losses like Fox could never be fully compensated.

It had been a joyous day when Fox had been reunited with his sister, and she had spent a month with us before deciding to follow in Sister Melissa's footsteps as a Healer with the Sisterhood. Fox had been reluctant to part with her even for such a short while as her training at the Shrine would entail, but the Mother-Abbess assured him that she would be well-taken care of. Samantha had teased him at that, saying that he was really afraid that she would now be able to beat him up, a fact he acknowledged with a laugh.

William the Younger had been established in Cardinale's place and had done well his first year, considering the state that the lands had been in under Cardinale's lax rule. He predicted a bounteous crop this year - often and loudly - a fact that made me grateful that we did not have to visit his holdings very often. Lamana was now Captain of young William's garrison and was handling the new responsibility well, making Scully beam with pride.

Of the former slave, Alexi, nothing more was heard or seen although I thought I caught a glimpse of him in the background at Jeffrey's State funeral. I also thought that Fox had received a message from him late last fall, but he declined to share it with me and I didn't press. He had worn an expression of wistful sadness for a day or two, and his attentions to me had been unusually tender, as if cherishing the fact that I was alive. I hoped that Alexi would find his own peace some day.

As for the new Earl of Mulder, he had settled into his position with his usual aplomb, although he generally left the management of the lands in my hands. I had been right - his sudden elevation in status had brought many suitors to his door, but within a month after the late king's death, we had been married and returned to Beauforte to settle down, bringing my nephew with us.

I smiled as I looked out the window. In the courtyard stood King John II, Duke of Gibson, Earl of Richmond, plus dozens of other holdings, only at this moment he looked just like a guilty – and dirty – schoolboy.

Gibson had changed dramatically over the past year, blossoming under the care he had been showered with since we had brought him home to Beauforte. Gone was the crushed and quiet boy from a year ago, and in his place a healthy and happy youngster – and one that had turned out to be more than a handful for his new tutor. Of course, the last time I had pointed out the ironic justice of that to Fox, he had pummeled me mercilessly with a pillow.

Now I watched as Fox stood looking sternly down at the boy, hands on his hips while Captain Scully stood nearby, arms crossed and face impassive as always.

"I didn't go very far, Uncle Fox. And nothing happened - "

"How many times have your Uncle Walter and I told you that you are not to go outside the castle walls without an escort? And it doesn't matter that nothing happened - there is no excuse for risking your life like that!"

Gibson hung his head. "Yes, sir. I'm sorry, Uncle Fox."

"You're going to be even sorrier when I get through with you, young man. Up to your room, now, and wait for me."

Gibson went off with dragging footsteps and Fox paused to talk with Captain Scully before heading up the steps. I moved to intercept him as he entered and he gave me a dark look.

"You'll never guess what Gibson has done now," he began.

"I know - I heard you through the window."

"You'd think, as many times as we've been through this, that he would learn to think before he acts. That he would stop ditching Scully to go off on these hare-brained escapades. That he would consider how important his life is, not just to us but to the Kingdom - "

I couldn't help it. I pulled my consort into my arms and kissed him soundly. When I finally let him go, he looked at me suspiciously.

"Are you trying to distract me?"

"No; I'm trying to tell you that I love you."

He grinned, his ire melting away, and slipped back into my arms. "Oh. Well, tell me again. I wasn't paying attention the first time."

So I kissed him again, and this time I knew that he was paying attention from the glazed look in his eyes and the hardened condition of other parts of his anatomy. He leaned against my shoulder, trying to catch his breath while my hands caressed his back, then he pulled back reluctantly.

"Hold that thought. I've got to finish talking with Gibson first."

I traced his lower lip with my finger. "I'll be waiting for you in our chamber. In our bed. Naked." He purred and nipped at my finger, then released me and turned away. "Oh, and Fox?"

He turned back, eyebrow raised. "Hmm?"

"Don't give up on Gibson. After all, it worked on you. Eventually." I turned away, popping him lightly on the ass as I did so. And behind me I heard delighted laughter.

**The End**

 


End file.
